Cat-Tastrophe!
by TheMurderousDuck
Summary: Judy and Nick team up with an ex-cop to investigate a ring of car thieves. Leaving Zootopia for Catilatown, their investigation opens up more questions. Why are the cars being resold with inferior parts? Why are the criminal bosses getting sick? How can they navigate through the corrupt society of an unfamiliar city? And is their advisor more involved than she seems?
1. Chapter 1 - A Fun Chase

**Hi! I've been working on this story for so long, really. So, yeah enjoy! I want to thank my co-writer and editor, you've helped me so much!**

 **In loving memory of Silvy, you we're an amazing cat**

Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde drove down a street near Little Rodentia. Nick sat slumped against the window and watched the streets go by with half-slitted eyes.

"Nick? Hey Nick! Don't fall asleep," Judy said, to the side of his furry head. "It's not even ten o'clock!"

Nick sat up straight with an effort. "I'm awake."

"At least someone's going to get a good night sleep when our shift's over! I'm glad I'm driving - you would have gotten us killed by now," she said. "It's a beautiful night. Crack the window open and get some fresh air...and fix your fur on that side, you've flattened it."

Nick yawned, corrected the fur on his head and did as she'd suggested.

"So, you had a late night last night?" Judy enquired.

"I certainly did," Nicked replied, and a grin spread across his face. "I had a date."

"A date? With who?"

"A foxy lady," Nick drawled.

The street lights cast flashing beams across Judy's surprised face. She began to probe further but fell silent as the radio blared rudely into their car.

"Officers Hopps and Wilde. We just received a report of a rodent car theft, left of the Little Rodentia entrance." The voice was Chief Bogo's. "You're closest. Get out there now; I'll send backup."

Nick picked it up and replied. "On it, Chief." He turned on the police sirens and Judy sped up.

"Well, that was very professional, 'On it, Chief,'" Judy teased.

Nick glanced at her. "At least it's not as bad as the last time you tried to reply. 'O-oh.. Y-y-yes Ch-Ch-Chief...'" He burst into laughter.

"Haha," she said sarcastically. Suddenly, she put her foot on the break and the car squealed to a halt. "And here we are. Look!"

"Woah, Carrots! Learn to drive!" Nick exclaimed. Judy pointed to the dark figure poised on the roof of a large building. It was small enough to be a bunny, but the ears were the wrong shape. Maybe a cat or meerkat? Judy thought.

There was an odd hump on its back that she recognised as a backpack, large enough to conceal a rodent car.

The bunny and the fox jumped out of the car. The figure followed their movement for a moment and then sprang sideways, running lightly along the peak of the roof.

"Zootopia Police! You are under arrest! Come down from the roof," Judy shouted. She sensed Nick beside her, his paws moving busily as he loaded a weapon.

"What are you doing?" she hissed. "We don't want to kill it!"

"It's a tranquilliser," he replied calmly.

"It'll fall off the roof!"

"It's a cat."

Upon reaching the edge, the figure paused and looked back at the officers. The moon chose that moment to slide out from beneath a small, dark cloud, and Judy saw two glowing golden eyes staring down at them.

"Stop, or we'll fire!" Judy yelled.

The figure turned away.

"Stop! You are under arrest!" Judy shouted again, beginning to sound desperate.

Nick took his chance to shoot the figure with the tranquilliser. He took quick aim, fired, and the animal jerked as the dart struck home in the side of its neck.

Judy turned to Nick. "Great shot! Let's go get it."

Nick gave her a triumphant grin and they ran towards the elegant, double front doors of the building. The sign above them read, "Goldenvale Retirement Home for Difficult Senior Citizens". Nick pulled his radio from his belt and gabbled into it as a brown bear in a nurse's uniform opened one of the doors and gestured them inside. It seemed she had been watching them from a window, along with several excited, elderly citizens in dressing-gowns.

"Thank you. Where's the back door?" Judy said to the nurse. The bear pointed down a corridor.

"Oh good, a commotion," croaked a bent little meerkat, holding her pink robe closed with one paw as she peered around the nurse's bulk. "What is it about this time? Thelonius Wolf is finally getting his comeuppance, is he?"

"I saw you running. Ladies didn't run when I was young," commented her companion, another meerkat who was likely to be her twin. "'Graceful' was the watchword in my day."

"I'm a police officer, ma'am!" Judy replied as she leaped forward, Nick close on her heels. She heard him laughing.

As Nick and Judy tore down the polished floorboards, more geriatric animals came out of their rooms. A babble of nonsense arose around the officers as they ran.

"They're here to arrest Thelonius."

"About time! Why has it taken so long? Thelonius is a menace!"

"Aw, he ain't so bad."

"You are a LION, sir, and a MALE, he wouldn't dare bother you! But I was a star of the stage and screen, and he cannot forget my beauty! I bear the brunt of it! I, and I alo- and, uh, others, I suppose..."

"You slipped into "Cold Hall" there, very melodramatic."

"A brilliant play sir, and what would someone like you know about it?"

"I wrote it."

"Please go back to your rooms, we will tell you when it's safe!" Judy called out as they ran down the corridor. A toothless wolf in a brown robe grinned evilly as she approached his doorway and out of pure mischief, stuck his cane in Judy's path.

"Oh, really? Ya think so?" Judy asked him as she bounded into the air, easily making it to his eye level. She tweaked his cheek as she sailed past. The old wolf stood, shocked, and then grinned delightedly. Judy landed, turned a corner and ran on, Nick three steps behind her.

"I still got it, ya-ta-ta," Judy heard the wolf boast to his neighbour across the corridor, a withered but neat-looking ram in a robe of blue silk.

"You're a disgusting specimen, Thelonius," the ram replied primly, and closed his door.

They entered a square courtyard comprised of four main buildings with a small fountain in the middle, and saw the small figure near one of the corners. Judy noticed the dart on the ground. The thief must have pulled it out. The animal was leaning on the wall near a door, nodding groggily.

Nick and Judy closed in on the suspect, getting a better look at it. It was indeed a female cat, wearing a mask and gloves. Her trousers and pullover were dark green, and what they could see of her fur was silver-grey. Her glazed golden eyes were tainted with fear, but something else too. Defiance. Determination. Something crazy. Judy felt her caution escalate. They were going to make their arrest and the cat had no escape, but it appeared that she might have other ideas.

"Zootopia Police Department, paws in the-"

The cat sprinted past them, knocking Judy down. Even though Judy's caution had forewarned her, the cat's unexpected speed still took her by surprise. She lay on the pavers, winded, as Nick ran after the blur. It zipped through the back door of the retirement home and up the corridor they had just used.

He paused at the door to look back at Judy.

"Get her," she wheezed at Nick. "I...OK. Don't call...Officer Down."

Nick nodded and gave chase. He hated running on polished floorboards. If he didn't slow before he turned a sharp corner - like the one approaching now - his claws made him slide. As he slowed, he heard, "Ya-ta-ta - oh! Hey, give it back!" There was a crack, and the sound of wooden pieces hitting the floor. "My cane!"

The cat was too far ahead of him. He gave up on hurrying and strolled around the corner just in time to see, in the distance, the cat slip through the front doors. He could hear sirens approaching. There was still a chance the officers outside would catch her. The nurse stood by, shielding the two little meerkats, an elderly bunny and a tiger with her bulk.

She told him everyone was unhurt, and her gaze travelled to the wolf, who was cuddling one of the splintered pieces of cane to his chest, looking lost. Nick could see she was trying not to smile. He turned away quickly, and trotted back to find Judy.

He collided with her in the doorway leading outside and they danced awkwardly for a moment.

"Carrots," Nick said, as he steadied them both. "Take it easy. Are you OK?"

"Of course, I was only winded. Did she get away?"

"She got away."

"She's gone? No one's that fast! I know a cheetah that is supposed to be super fast, but that wasn't normal - not with a tranq! Come on!"

They slipped back into the building, and Judy set a fast pace. She often did, for no apparent reason. Nick had often wondered if that was a bunny thing, or just her Judyness.

"She was hyped up on something," he said, starting to pant.

Judy remembered that she could run for much longer than Nick before she would feel the same strain. She slowed.

"Or she's a highly trained athlete," she said.

When they got outside, they found that several officers had arrived and there was no cat in sight. Nick and Judy had to tell them that the cat was gone. Disappeared into the night. Embarrassing, but at least now they knew some new things. Judy made a mental checklist in her head.

The thief is a dark silvery-grey female cat.

She is very, very fast, even while tranqed

She wore a black mask and gloves.

She has golden eyes.

She stole a car-

Why? What make and model? Was there anything of value in the car, and who did it belong to? Judy nudged Nick and they walked over to Chief Bogo, who was ordering some other officers to search the area. He turned to the little bunny and looked down at her as she reported.

"Don't sweat it, Hopps, it's happened before. The animal always got away. Last time, it was a wolf. But we know more now, we have something to go on at least. Well done. So well done, in fact, that, I'm assigning this case to you, Hopps and Wilde. For obvious reasons."

Judy's ears shot up with pleasure and then drooped as she took in all his words. The animal always got away? A case that no-one could solve, he meant. It was being thrown to Judy and Nick as they were the junior officers, and they were doomed to fail -

"Sir," she blurted boldly. "What obvious reasons would they be?"

The Chief seemed to take in all her insecurities with one glance. He leaned down from his massive height to put his face in hers. "Because you're a BUNNY, and that means FAST," he rumbled, and jerked a hoof at Nick. "And Officer Wilde is a FOX, and that means CUNNING. That's what's needed here. FAST and CUNNING."

"Uh, Sir," Nick spoke up quietly, but with dignity. "Didn't we see what that kind of thinking does to -"

The Chief swung around on him. "Are you telling me that you are NOT cunning, Wilde? Are you telling me that you don't have what I need for this case?"

Nick stepped back. "No Sir, I'm as sharp as -"

"Good. That's why, Hopps and Wilde. The two of you together are...pretty good. Effective. I NEED effective, do you both hear me?"

The bunny and the fox stood to attention. "Yes, Sir."

"Most cats live in Catilatown now, and there aren't very many silver-grey ones even there," Bogo told them. "So this one shouldn't be hard to spot here in Zootopia."

Nick nodded. He knew Catilatown. During his con-artist days, he had visited it frequently when things had gotten too hot for him in Zootopia. It was mostly inhabited by cats, but other mammals lived there too. There were, he remembered, lots of high places.

"I have a question, Chief. What's going on? You said the last car reported stolen was taken by a wolf?" Judy asked. Chief Bogo's eyes narrowed as she asked.

"Thirty-one rodent cars have been stolen in the last three months. It's a ring, and so far we've got witness testimony that three wolves and a cat have been involved. All very strong and fast. We don't know who's running it and the cars never show up again. But I'm telling the Mayor I've put you two on to it," the Chief replied. Nick stood next to Judy, hands in his pockets. Judy knew the look in his eye. He had realised something, but didn't want to say it in front of the Chief.

"Now, I've just given this case to the best qualified officers. In return, I expect results. I haven't got time to hold your paws. Get to it!"

The Chief waited for another "Yes, Sir!" before stalking away.

They headed to their car. "So, we have another case to solve now," Nick said as he glanced at Judy, who nodded. She knew what he was feeling, because she felt it herself - embarrassment at being told off by the Chief, and elation at his compliment.

"We can talk to some witnesses ourselves tomorrow, maybe get a lead or two," she said.

"Yeah, this is going to be a good case, I can feel it. Maybe I'll be promoted to Deputy-Chief!" Nick joked. His tiredness had seemingly vanished.

"I doubt it, what would a 'Deputy-Chief' do that the chief doesn't do already?"

"I dunno, but I want a raise from this case at least!"

"Ha, when they double the budget then we'll get decent coffee in the canteen," Judy said. "But you can dream on, Slick. It's still my turn to drive, so put your paw away. I'm not giving you the keys."

"Rats."

"Okay," Judy said as they drove, unable to wait any longer. "What's on your mind?"

Nick's teeth gleamed as he gave her a sidelong smile. "Nice pickup, Carrots. It's the Chief."

"What about him?"

"Why was he here tonight?"

Judy blinked. "Why...wouldn't he be?"

Nick snorted. "He patrols a desk, Carrots. He doesn't shift his bulk from the ZPD unless it's something really big. Now, I know I'm just a CUNNING fox, but this case isn't that big. No-one's been hurt."

"Your car gets stolen, it hurts," Judy replied. "Enough cars get stolen, a lot of people get hurt. Then they complain to the mayor, who's gotta do something or he won't be mayor after the next election. So he sits on the Chief's head until the pain goes away. That's why the Chief was there. He's being pressured."

The light dimmed a little in Nick's eyes. "Yeah...you're probably right...maybe," he said.

"Maybe? What else could it be?"

He watched her as she drove. Finally she said, "I trust your instincts, Sly Fox."

Nick sighed. "I just thought that the Chief knew more than he was saying. Just a feeling."

Judy nodded. "Well, he's unlikely to discuss his political problems with us."

"Yeah."

He wanted to drop it, and she let him.

Judy dropped Nick at his apartment and then, yawning, turned the car radio on to stop herself from falling asleep during the drive to her own home. The passing lights of the city cast moving shadows and stripes of light and made her think of all she and Nick had done for the city. It was a good and satisfying life, and never, ever boring. Every single day presented new opportunities to help people. She wondered if Nick really did have ambition enough to climb the ranks. Deputy-Chief? She considered it for herself, dubiously. She wouldn't want to patrol a desk. It would take her away from the life that she loved. Neither she nor Nick had been on the force long enough to be considered for such a role anyway.

She parked the car outside her apartment and entered her room. It was small, but private and absolutely wonderful, as she didn't have to share the space with any siblings. She changed her clothes, jumped into bed and fell asleep in under a minute.

 **That's the first chapter! Please review! See you in a few days.**


	2. Chapter 2 - A Mischievous Cat

**Here we go! Chapter 2.**

 **Thank you everyone who favourited/followed this story!**

Judy's eyes opened when her alarm went off. After a moment, the recollection of last night's adventures settled into her consciousness and a sense of excitement seized her. She and Nick had a case! She scrambled out of bed and ate a bowl of cereal recommended to her by Clawhouser, which she found too sugary for her tastes. She washed, changed into her uniform, groomed her ears in front of her mirror and gave her badge a quick polish. Then she drove to Nick's apartment, where she parked on the street and waited.

Nick slid on his mirrored sunglasses as he came trotting down the steps, a lazy smile across his muzzle.

"Morning, Carrots, how are you?" he asked, sliding into the car.

Judy smiled. "I'm fine. I'm good. Rarin' to go! We're gonna catch that cat, Nick."

"Yeah, we will. Hey, Carrots? Think we can grab a coffee before we head into work? I'm dying for one over here."

They headed for the coffee shop. Nick ordered a large Cappuccino to go and Judy ordered a hot chocolate. She never was a really big fan of coffee, as it made her hyperactive. They grabbed their beverages and Nick nudged Judy's shoulder.

"C'mon Carrots, I want to drink outside. We still have 30 minutes before we need to be at work."

Judy nodded and followed him out of the shop.

They sat at a bench and chatted. Judy was a bundle of nerves and had already spilled her hot chocolate twice as she gestured, barely noticing as she splashed Nick's trousers. He calmly mopped up with a serviette as he listened, keeping one eye on her dangerous gesturing but also, as always, keeping his other eye on the street.

"...and we need to look at the reports of the thefts in Little Rodentia, maybe re-interview the victims there. There must be a chop shop somewhere. It's a niche market, it would have to be in Little Rodentia itself. So we'll put the second-hand car dealerships on our list and also check the classifieds and - hey!"

She stopped talking when he took the hot drink away from her and pointed with his free paw to a figure standing half way down the street. Judy's mouth fell open when she saw the dark silvery-grey cat with golden eyes. Its body shape was the same lithe-looking shape as the thief's. She was wearing a white, loose jumper, blue short-shorts and black, ankle-length leggings. Her head was down, but they saw her glance over at them as she passed. Her paws remained hidden in her pockets as she limped by them.

Nick and Judy looked at each other then ran across the road, leaving their drinks steaming gently in the trash can. They stopped in front of the cat and she looked up, her golden eyes widening slightly. She stood very straight, but she was only a little bit taller then Judy.

"Can I help you, officers?" the cat asked. Judy wondered if there was a note of sarcasm or laughter in the cliched question. But who cared? How many silvery-grey cats with golden eyes existed in Zootopia? They'd gotten lucky, very lucky. The Chief was going to be so impressed!

"Good Morning Ma'am. I'm Officer Hopps and this is my partner, Officer Wilde. May we see your ID, please?" Judy asked pleasantly.

"Sure," said the cat, and slowly brought out a wallet. "I've heard about you guys. Nice job on the Night Howler case."

"Silvia Claws," Judy read, and from the corner of her eye saw Nick write this in his notebook. She read out the cat's address and returned the wallet to the cat.

"Can you account for your whereabouts at ten PM last night?" Judy continued.

"I heard about the incident on this morning's news. I had nothing to do with it," stated the cat.

"Can you account for your whereabouts?" Judy repeated patiently.

The cat shrugged. "I was at home, watching TV."

"Can anyone else vouch for that?"

"No," said the cat. "I was alone."

"We'd like you to come with us to the ZPD for questioning, Ms Claws."

A gleam appeared in the cat's eyes. "Why?"

"You may have information that would be helpful to our investigation," Judy told her, and shifted her stance slightly. If anyone was going to bolt this time, Judy's powerful hind legs would be ready.

"I probably don't know anything that you don't, but fine, OK," said the cat. "Yeah, I wouldn't mind a formal visit."

Again, that odd tone in her voice that Judy finally identified as suppressed laughter. Judy and Nick walked on either side of the cat as they accompanied her to their vehicle. Judy watched the hitch in the cat's gait and smiled, rolling her eyes a little. Nick kept his face pleasant as he helped the cat into the back seat of the car as though she really was an invalid. Judy drove, and the car ride to the ZPD was silent. Ms Claws sat behind the 'cage wall', as Nick often referred to it.

When they walked through the front doors of the ZPD, Ms Claws paused for a moment, looking around at the busy environment with a strange light in her eyes. Judy was prepared for her to bolt, but the cat took in a deep breath and nodded when Nick gestured her toward Clawhouser's desk.

Clawhouser looked at them and his eyes slid to the cat. He gaped, and the donut fell out of his hand. Nick and Judy looked at each other, then back to the cheetah.

"You all right there, Clawhouser?" Nick asked him.

Clawhausers chubby face broke into a massive smile. "Silvy?" he asked incredulously.

"Nice to see you again too, Clawhouser." The cat replied, giving him a smile.

"Wait, you know her?" Judy asked the cheetah.

Clawhouser turned his gaze to Judy and Nick. "Know her? She was an officer in this precinct!" He retrieved his dropped donut and took a bite, still smiling.

This time it was Nick and Judy's turn to looked shocked.

Nick spoke first. "Really?" he asked, turning to Silvy.

The sleek cat nodded, a smile twisting her mouth as if she was holding back from bursting into laughter.

"You couldn't have said something?" Nick asked sternly, but Silvy shrugged, raised her eyebrows and spread her paws.

"It's a lot more fun this way," she said. "And I needed a ride."

"About time you visited, Silvy," Clawhauser said through a mouth full of cakiness. "Where've you been?"

"I've been...busy," she told Clawhouser. "New job and all."

"That's great!" Clawhouser said, and then his mouth turned down. "Wait a minute. If this isn't a visit, then why is she here?" he asked, his eyes going between Judy and Nick.

"Oh.. Um.. We found her and her description matches that of the suspect from last night...we thought we'd better bring her down here for questioning, so..." Judy felt her triumph sliding away, replaced by a slick, greasy mess in her stomach. Chief Bogo's stern face flashed across her mind.

Clawhouser went still for a moment, his eyes sliding regretfully over the cat before he gave a grim nod. "Well, I'm glad you decided to assist us, Silvy...want a donut before you go in?"

Clawhauser was kind, Judy reflected as she watched the cat's delicate little paw selecting a white-frosted donut from the box. Though looking at his now-blank expression, she knew she wouldn't want to be Silvia Claws - or Silvy, as the officers were calling her - if it turned out the cat was guilty.

Another officer came in and exclaimed with delight upon seeing Silvy in their midst. Nick stepped forward and asked the officer to get Silvy settled in the interview room, and also to get her a coffee to go with that donut. Nick gestured at Judy to indicate that he wanted a word with Clawhouser.

"Hey, Clawhouser? What's the story with Silvia Claws?" Nick asked.

Clawhouser looked down at him as he shoved some papers in a folder. "Silvy? Sure," he replied. "You want to ask what happened to her career, I bet. Don't worry, I doubt it would ever happen to you."

"You said she used to be an officer?" Judy asked.

"Yes, she was a good cop, too. Being groomed for Detective. But then she resigned. Too bad," Clawhouser replied, and sighed as he inserted a digit into another donut. "A terrible waste."

"Why did she resign?" Nick asked.

Clawhouser looked grim again, which was quite rare for the usually jolly cheetah. He nibbled at some chocolate icing as his thoughts went back to that time. "Two years ago, she visited her old home in Catilatown. There was a new gang there, running a protection racket. They were wolves, mostly."

"Wolves? In Catilatown?" Judy was incredulous.

"They must have been nuts, setting up in Catilatown," Nick agreed. He had that expression on his face that meant he was considering all the angles. "A cat is WAY faster than a wolf. He's not careful, he ends up in the Home for the Blind."

Clawhauser sucked his finger and gave a little cough. "Well," he said, hooking a finger into his mouth to dislodge some donut from a molar, "You mightn't know this, but we cats - large and small - generally aren't that good at co-operation. Except for lions," he added judiciously, as Officer Johnson padded by. Clawhouser thought for a moment. "And me, of course," he grinned. "But, they didn't help one another, nor did they complain to the local police. We gossip a lot, but on the other hand...we like our privacy a bit too much."

Judy opened her mouth to exclaim at this, but Nick squeezed her shoulder. "Let him tell the story," he murmured, as Clawhauser regretfully closed the box on the donuts.

"Silvy was staying with her aunt, who was renting an apartment above a fish shop with her four little kits. She was taking her cousins through the shop on their way to somewhere - the cinema I think - and found the fishmonger on the floor, being beaten by the wolves. She knew she had no jurisdiction, no backup, nothing. She just had the kits. So she tried to sneak the kittens out but the wolves stopped her. They had seen her come from upstairs, see, and thought she and her cousins were family to the fishmonger. They threatened the kits. One of the gang picked up one of the kits and threatened to hurt it. When the fishmonger saw that he got up and cleaned out the cash register and gave them all the week's takings. The wolves left without doing any more harm." The cheetah sighed, and began playing with the lid of the box flicking it open and closed with his index claw. "Silvy got the kits upstairs and called an ambulance. She saw the fishmonger taken care of. And then she went a-hunting wolves."

Nick gave a low whistle, while Judy gasped. The lid of the box flipped up under Clawhauser's fidgeting fingers, revealing multi-coloured sweetness before dropping closed again.

"There were five of the cowards," Clawhauser said solemnly. "She got three of them before the others took her down. They smashed her leg to splinters. It'll never be right again. She was in hospital for three months. When she came out, it was clear she'd never walk a beat again. At that time, even getting from her car to her desk was an ordeal. So she and the Chief agreed she'd take the pension. The Chief was great about that. The pension, I mean she wasn't on duty when it happened. He arranged it. He was disappointed in her for what she did. But he thought a lot of her. She was a good cop." The lid went up, and down again. Nick shifted, and he ran his fingers through his fur. Judy's ears drooped. Clawhauser watched them in silence.

"Why didn't she let the Catilatown cops do their job?" Judy asked softly.

"Coz they can't do their job," Clawhouser said. "Guess how many cops they have in Catilatown?"

Judy calculated fast. "A town that size, they should have dozens, at least."

"They have four," Nick said.

Judy turned to look at him. "Four? How do you know?"

Nick grinned at her. "Cats like pawpsicles a LOT."

She flipped an ear at him. "How can they serve a precinct of that size with four cops on a shift?"

"Not four on a shift," Clawhauser said. "Four altogether. One cop on morning shift, one on afternoon shift and two on night shift."

"Yep," Nick said knowingly, in response to her bewildered look. "Only one cop. Sooo many pawpsicles to sell. It's easy. There's a lot of cons and rackets in Catilatown."

"The police must be...useless," she said. "How can they protect anyone?"

"They can't," Clawhauser told her. "They were deliberately understaffed. They were never meant to be effective. There's no money in the city budget for a proper force and that's the way the fat cats at the top like it. It's not Zootopia, Judy."

"If you want justice in Catilatown, you've either gotta have money or friends, meaning people who owe you favours," Nick said. "If not, then you take care of it yourself. Or you do nothing, try to keep your head down and put up with getting pushed around."

"Something that just wasn't in the DNA of Officer Claws," Clawhauser said.

"Poor Silvy," Judy whispered. She knew now that this was not the cat they had encountered the night before. Silvy wasn't faking it. A cat with a bad leg couldn't have moved that fast. They'd made a mistake. She hoped the Chief wouldn't chew her and Nick out for this.

But...

Silver-grey cats with golden eyes were very rare. Possibly, they were characteristics of a pedigree bloodline. She would have to fire up a computer and research that. Perhaps, she thought, a relative of Silvy's was involved.

"We haven't seen her since, and she didn't return calls," Clawhauser said. He tapped on his iPhone and passed it down to Judy. Nick peered over her shoulder as she stared at the screen. She recognised most of the officers in the picture. They were all in uniform, including the slightly younger-looking cat. They were all smiling; some looked like they were laughing.

"A happy-looking bunch," Nick said, after a glance at the photo.

"Yes, we had a good team," Clawhouser replied.

"It must have been awful, quitting her job. It looks like she really enjoyed it." Judy said, giving Clawhouser back his phone. "I can't imagine being so badly injured I couldn't be a cop any more."

"I can," Clawhouser replied. "I had the same choice. Fell off a wall when I was chasing a suspect. Hurt my back real bad. I can't do much out there. But I can still be useful, something that Silvy couldn't see for herself. I tried to tell her. Others did, too. Given the choice, I'd rather patrol a desk than not be here. Even though it made me - uh - ." He patted his generous torso.

Nick tapped the donut box, one eyebrow raised in accusation. The cheetah grinned.

"She was a very good officer," a deep voice said behind them.

Chief Bogo. Nick and Judy turned to look at him. His face was solemn.

"I just had a talk with her. She'll be out in a few minutes." He blinked at the desk. "Clawhauser, please, put the donuts out of sight."

"Sorry, Sir, Clawhauser was just offering them to Judy and I," Nick lied smoothly. "Judy, are you having one?"

"Hmm, yes, I think I will," Judy said brightly. "Thank you, Clawhauser!"

Clawhauser opened the box and ignored Nick's grin as the bunny and the fox helped themselves.

"Sir?" Clawhauser waved the box half-heartedly in the Chief's direction. Chief Bogo shook his head. The box disappeared. The Chief stared at Nick for a long moment.

"You know, she's a lot like you, Wilde. A rule breaker, and anything to help a friend. Getting a good laugh out of the situation along the way."

The Chief's eyes drifted down to the donut-box. Nick's grin turned frozen as he realised the Chief had seen through him.

"Am I done, Chief?" A voice addressed the Chief from behind Clawhousers desk. The silver cat was standing there, arms crossed with a cheeky smile across her muzzle.

Bogo turned to Silvy. "You can go," he told her. "And, Claws - come back for another visit whenever you like."

The cat nodded and gave a cheeky salute as she walked by them, her long tail trailing jauntily behind her. Judy noticed that she was limping slightly on her left leg.

Bogo pointed at Judy, then Nick. "You two, in my office. Now." They headed to his office, Bogo behind them.

-2 Minutes Later-

"We need to figure this out - and fast. We have no idea who this thief is, or if she will strike again. I need you two to work late tonight," Bogo told them as they stood in his office. The Chief paced slowly back and forth behind his side of the desk

Bogo opened his mouth to say more, but Nick abruptly put a finger to his mouth and strained his ear towards the door. Judy stilled, and listened. Someone was out there, eavesdropping. The Chief reached over the desk, grabbed Judy's notebook out of her paws and began reading aloud from it as he gestured Nick towards the door.

The Chief told them to do everything that Judy had on her list, while he watched Nick creep along the wall, smoother than a shadow. Nick stood to one side of the door, his hand reaching carefully for the handle, then abruptly ripped the door open with a triumphant yell. He reached out into the corridor and pulled a yelping Silvia Claws into the room.

Chief Bogo's eyes bulged, and he took in a massive, massive breath.

"Chief, just hear me out, okay?" she squeaked, dangling from the fox's grip. "Please put me down," she begged Nick. "It hurts being held like this."

Chief Bogo seemed to struggle for a moment, and then closed his eyes and exhaled so hard through his nostrils that the fur on the cat and the fox flattened as though in a stiff breeze. He took in a calmer breath and boomed, through clenched teeth, "Claws, you have ten seconds."

Nick put the cat down and they waited while she steadied herself and cleared her throat.

"Well, we know it's a cat, right? I pretty much know all the cats in Zootopia and Catilatown. And I can tell you this cat doesn't come from Zootopia. And I can tell you about the number of Rodentia cars arriving all of a sudden in Catilatown..." Judy and Nick were suddenly very, very focussed on her. "Anyway...the thing is...if you want any chance of finding this little kitty, you will need another kitty to help you. I know who the movers and shakers are in Catilatown. I fit in, and I can get into places. I'm a face in Catilatown, I'm known. I mean...not that I do anything illegal. But you get my point. I can help you," she finished. Her eyes looked a little desperate, and there wasn't a trace of levity in her now.

She still wants to be a cop, Judy thought. She don't blame her. Judy looked at the Chief.

Bogo's face took on a neutral expression.

"Go and sit next to Clawhauser's desk," he told the cat. "DO NOT MOVE from that seat. I will tell Clawhauser you are to sit there until I come to see you off - properly, this time. Now get out and DON'T eavesdrop on me again!"

He roared the word "DON'T" loudly enough to make Silvy's ears go back a little in fright. She nodded quickly and limped outside, closing the door behind her. The Chief picked up the phone to speak to Clawhauser, and then turned to Judy and Nick.

"Catilatown," he said, and sat down heavily in his chair. He sighed and put a hoof to his forehead. "I had a feeling, after last night. I hope the trail doesn't lead there, but I think it likely. We need more information before committing to any action."

Nick remembered Catilatown. He visited it frequently when he was a con-artist. It was mostly inhabited by cats, but other mammals lived there too. There were, he remembered, lots of high places.

He stared at his officers. "If we get a solid link then I'll set up a multi-jurisdictional task force with the Catilatown police force. The mayor is corrupt but knows that if he doesn't bend on this, I'll fold him myself." He grinned at the thought.

"What about Ms Claws?" Judy asked. "Do you want her to work with us?"

"No," Bogo said. "I don't want her getting hurt. Or you two, either. I don't trust her to just ride along with you. She'll do something stupid like she did before and put you all at risk."

"We may need her," Nick replied. "In an advisory capacity. I haven't been to Catilatown for years, and I'm not sure who's who any more. It's like a foreign country there, the way they run things...it would take me a while to plug back in if I went undercover."

Judy looked at Nick in surprise, and then did some fast calculating.

"If she gets hurt, it's our fault and our responsibility. She was an officer once, but she isn't anymore," Bogo said, sounding stressed.

"She has experience and training," Judy chimed in. "If it comes to Catilatown, we sure could use someone who knows what's going on, Chief."

"Mmm. No. We can't risk it," Bogo said, rising from his seat. Nick caught Judy's eye.

"Chief," Judy said. "She looks like she hasn't got enough money. She told Clawhauser that she's got a job, but I don't think she does. She's...she's a bit too thin, Sir."

Bogo sighed and closed his eyes, his hoof on the door handle. Judy watched the back of the Chief's neck as he pondered.

"We'll give her a few hours' work, then. As an advisor," the Chief rumbled. "And that's all. Advice only. She is not to ride along. Understood?"

They nodded and Judy gave Nick a look that promised questions later.

Bogo strode back to the desk and phoned Clawhauser. Within half a minute, Silvy Claws was back in the room, beaming with happiness as Bogo lectured her on her responsibilities.

Nick and Judy turned to look at each other and smiled.

"Sly fox" Judy whispered so that only Nick could hear. "You knew there was a connection between the Chief and this case, and there kind of was."

"But think of this," Nick whispered back. "If the Chief didn't seriously consider the possibility that the thief could be Silvy, he wouldn't have shown up last night. He seems to like her a lot, but he doesn't totally trust her. Nor should we."

"Noted," Judy said, as the Chief boomed on. "So why did you want her involved?"

"Because she is a lot like me," Nick smiled. "And another mind like mine is just too precious to turn away."

Judy snorted.

"Seriously. We need to know everything we can about current affairs in Catilatown. If she is like me, she'll have her ear to the ground and she'll know what we need to know," Nick murmured. "So thanks for backing me up when I said we wanted her, Carrots."

"I trust your instincts," Judy replied. "I noticed something else, too."

"Yeah," the fox chuckled, and lowered his whisper. "The Chief said nothing when I mentioned going undercover..."

"Better to ask for forgiveness than permission, huh?" Judy replied, and they turned to the Chief for their instructions.

 **Thanks for reading! If you could leave a review below, it would be AWESOME! I absolutely love reading them.**


	3. Chapter 3 - Silvy

**Chapter 3! Whoop Whoop!**

As they left the office, Silvia did a fist-pump in the air.

"YES!"

"Someone's excited," Nick commented with an amused smile. He glanced over at Judy, who looked slightly startled by the cat's sudden movement.

"Are you kidding? This is definitely one of my top ten best ever days!" Silvia exclaimed, smoothing the fur back down on her head.

Judy smiled. "Well, Ms Claws, let's head down to get the file from Clawhauser."

"Call me Silvy," the cat announced as they went down the stairs. "It was my handle when I was a cop. Plus, I prefer it as a nickname."

Judy looked at Nick, to see whether he wanted to be so familiar with the cat.

Nick raised an eyebrow, but kept his smile. "Alright, deal." He held out a paw for a handshake, and they shook.

"Silvy it is," said Judy, and it was official.

"Clawhauser!" Silvy yelled as she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Gah! What?! You startled me!" Clawhauser exclaimed as he laid his paw over his heart.

"Yeah, I bet that makes about three times today so far. But anyway! Bogo said I can help Nick and Judy with the cat case thingy!"

She gestured excitedly at the last sentence in happiness. Judy thought that if the cat had two good legs, she would be bouncing and cartwheeling all over the place.

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! That's AWESOME! I'm so happy for you!" Clawhauser squealed in delight, before pulling Silvy into a large hug.

"Clawhauser...a bit tight..!" Silvy told him.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" he apologised as he set her back on the opposite side of the desk.

"Don't sweat it. Anyway, can we have the file?" Silvy asked, slightly impatiently.

Clawhauser produced it, and the three sat down in uncomfortable chairs in a small office off the main room where they read every page and discussed the matter in detail. Silvy gave them a rundown on how things stood in Catilatown.

"Outsiders think that cats run the town, and that's pretty much true," she told them. "Everyone in power is a criminal. Believe that now. They're all on the take. Probably the cops, too, all four of them, so we need to be careful there. The little cars the moles drive here are made in Zootopia and they are pretty expensive. I can imagine how the rats of Catilatown would want them. I've seen about one hundred cars in Catilatown this year, where last year there were only a few. Driven by people who shouldn't be able to afford them even if their palms are always greased. There are no car dealerships in Catilatown, so where did they come from?" She continued to frown over the papers on the desk.

"They might have been bought and sold privately, and imported from Zootopia," Judy observed, more to hear the reason why this wasn't feasible rather than to make a point.

"Unlikely. With this many stolen cars involved, and quite suddenly, it has to be an organised group," Nick said. "But to be sure, we need to talk to the dealerships here, have a look at their sales. There's money in this and I'll bet they're not the ones making it."

"We also need to talk to Mr Big, then," Judy said reluctantly to Nick. "If he isn't involved, he's gonna be mad. Tundratown is his territory, or so he thinks, and some of the cars were stolen from there. He might talk to us."

"He'll talk to you," Nick said, laughing softly, and Silvy lifted her head in surprise. "Carrots here has a friendship with his daughter," Nick explained. "Get ready to go shopping or play bingo, Judy."

Silvy looked taken aback, but recovered quickly.

"What if he is involved?" she asked.

"Then he won't talk to us," Judy said. "Simple."

The three animals finished up their discussion and were standing near Clawhauser's desk.

"Well, Silvy, it's been fun, but I'm afraid you can't ride along with us," Nick said, smiling at her with his paws in his pockets.

"I know, Bogo told me. Anyway, good luck and call me if you need anything!"

Silvy waved goodbye as she walked out the door.

Nick and Judy left the building with the equipment that they would need and headed towards their assigned car. Judy was headed for the driver's seat with the keys when Nick snatched them out of her paw and gave her an admonishing look.

"You got to drive last night. My turn."

Judy deflated. "Fine, Slick."

They climbed into the car and started it up.

"Alright, Mr Big, here we come!" Judy said, still exhilarated at their fresh case. She pulled out her phone and texted Fru Fru, announcing their visit to Mr Big and asking if Fru Fru had time for Judy to say hello to her namesake. This, she knew, would guarantee their entry. Less then a minute later, Fru Fru replied that she was at Bingo and Mr Big was babysitting Little Judy. "I've txt guards, they will let you in. cm wth me nxt time. I won $100 so far!"

"She's at Bingo. Little Judy's with her grandfather. She's excited because she won a hundred bucks," she told Nick, who howled with laughter.

"The most pampered little princess in Zootopia," he said. "Are we good to go?"

"We are. She texted the guards. We are set to go!"

Nick backed out of the ZPD car park and headed towards Tundratown.

"Who's gonna do the talking?" he asked. "I could, while you gush over the kid. Or you could do the talking in between gushing over the kid. What's your preference?"

"I'll do the talking," Judy said. "Best if you stand back and stay quiet."

"Ok, Carrots. Just hope Mr Big won't ice us when you ask him if he's involved in major-scale car theft." Nick chuckled a bit nervously at the end. "Of course, you've got a free pass for life. He still hasn't forgotten the skunk rug."

"Nah, he won't ice us. That will get Fru Fru upset. And he doesn't want to get his daughter upset," Judy replied.

After a few minutes, they stopped at a red light near Savannah Central. Nick gave a long, tired yawn.

"Sleepy, Nick?" Judy asked.

"Haven't had my hourly coffee yet," Nick explained. "Plus last night's chase."

Judy laughed a bit and then opened her mouth to ask about his date, but was interrupted.

"Surprise!" A familiar voice came up from behind them, and a silver cat popped her head up from the cage.

"AAH!" Nick and Judy screamed.

"Silvy, WHAT are you DOING here?!" Nick demanded, glaring at her through the rear-view mirror.

"I just thought that you might need some help, as I said back in Bogo's office," Silvy said, too casually. She shrugged as she sat up on the seat.

"Well, you can't help. You might not care about getting in trouble with Bogo, but we do!" Nick said to the rear-view mirror.

Some of the light went out of Silvy's face. "Aww, come on! You need some help! I mean, come on. Seriously. I can help, and don't doubt me because of my leg. I'm still fast. There's a reason my brother nick-named me Twitch."

"Sorry Silvy, but I'm with Nick on this one. We're going to bring you back to the ZPD," Judy said.

"Pleeeease? I just wanna help." Silvy's stuck out her bottom lip.

"Pouting won't help. Look, we know you must miss being a cop, but you can't come with us. This is dangerous for you and puts the Department at risk," Nick said.

"Okay, A: I don't care about me not being a cop anymore. B: that was a giant lie, I really miss it. C: pouting ALWAYS works. D: there's no risk to the Department. Chief Bogo got me to sign a waiver form. And E: I can help and you know it," Silvy listed, counting each off with her fingers as she went.

The light turned green and the two officers looked at each other, multiple emotions in their eyes.

"Mr Big will be expecting us," Nick murmured to Judy. "We don't have time to take her back."

"Why did Chief Bogo make her sign a waiver if she's only supposed to be an inactive resource?" Judy muttered back.

They stared at each other for a moment more, both calculating, and then both rolled their eyes.

"Fine." Judy told the cat. "But -"

"Thank you!" Silvy smiled and bounced in her seat.

"BUT! Some ground rules. You're STAYING in the CAR. Don't distract us if we're talking to someone, let us do the talking and if there's trouble, leave. If Chief Buffalo-Butt finds out about this, he will have our badges in a heartbeat," Nick said, putting his foot on the pedal and moving the car forward.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine. All right! So...Mr Big?" Silvy asked. "Great! I've never met him."

"And you're not going to today," Judy told her. "You're STAYING in the CAR."

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	4. Chapter 4 - Mr Big

**Hi! Okay, here's the next chapter! Read and Review.**

Judy and Nick stood outside Mr Big's office and awaited for his arrival. Nick bounced on his toes nervously, until Judy nudged him into stillness. They had both been patted down before getting this far; Judy with perfunctory and respectful care, and Nick with some suspicion.

A huge polar bear opened the cold room door and jerked his head at them.

"Youse can come in now," he said.

Judy entered the freezing room first and was grateful she and Nick kept their police-issued jackets in the trunk of the car. Nick slid in behind her and took a position by the wall, being careful not to touch it. The guard remained inside with them, standing by the door. A single glance around confirmed that Mr Big was not there yet.

Of course not, she thought. He always makes a big entrance.

The door opened and three polar bears entered the room, each bigger than the last. The largest polar bear held Mr Big's chair in his paws. He carefully set it down on the desk and, with slow drama, turned the chair around to reveal Zootopia's most powerful crime boss. Mr Big smiled as he saw Judy.

"Judy! Hello, my dear, it's so good of you to come!" Mr Big said, and offered his ring for Judy to kiss. She moved forward and performed the obeisance, trying not to wonder if he wiped the ring now and then. He did employ a lot of polar bears.

"Hello, Mr Big!" Judy smiled cheerily. "How are you? How's Fru Fru and my little darlin' Judy?"

"We're all fine, Fru Fru is out playing Bingo, although she'll be back soon. Little Judy is asleep in her crib. Nick," Mr Big said, and beckoned the fox forward. "Come forward, come here, my boy."

Nick moved forward and kissed the proffered ring. "Mr Big. A pleasure to see you, Sir. Thank you for seeing us," he said, then moved swiftly back to the wall. He and Judy had agreed that he would be as unobtrusive as possible during this interview. The only viable alternative was for Nick to be absent altogether, but they both felt that if it was police business, Mr Big wouldn't respect him for that. And Nick didn't want to give Mr Big another reason to dislike him.

The door opened and a tray of coffee and tiny cups was passed through, into the paws of a waiting polar bear.

"Coffee?" Mr Big asked. "The best, from the Rainforest...please, try it."

There wasn't much of a choice. Judy was very, very careful to keep the amusement from her face as she watched the polar bear use the tips of his claws to pick up the little coffee pot and pour the world's smallest cup of coffee. Who knew that such a thuggish creature could perform such delicate movements?

Mr Big sipped along with Judy, and then, making a long ceremony of preparing to speak, finally did so.

"Now, Judy, my dear," he said, pausing to sip his coffee again and smack his lips before continuing. He took his time in settling himself back to rest his elbow on the arm of the chair. "Tell me what you need."

Already unnerved, Judy was becoming more nervous by the second.

"Yes, actually...we need to ask you about the theft of rodent cars. There was another last night. If...that's okay?"

Mr Big went quiet, and Judy held her breath.

"I heard about it, I'm not sure what happened. Now, we shall all do justice to these cookies, and then, I must excuse myself -"

"DADDY!" The screech echoed in the cold vault as Mr Big's daughter ran into the room, her beehive hairdo lopsided and her makeup streaked with tears. Mr Big quickly put down his cup and swung his chair around as a polar bear quickly bent and let her run on to his palm. Fru Fru was transported to the desk-top and ran to her father, who opened his arms and swept her up.

"My darling, what's wrong?" he cried, looking as upset as she did.

"Someone stole my car! I just parked it outside Mousies' and they picked up my car, shook me out of it and STOLE it!" Fru Fru sobbed into his jacket. She hadn't noticed the visitors in front of her.

Judy and Nick looked at each other before stepping closer to the desk. Nick bent down and spoke to the shaking little creature.

"Miss Fru Fru, take deep breaths," he said, and she lifted her head from her father's jacket to look at him. "With me. Deep in, deep out, deep in...that's right. Good. Now, are you ready to tell us more?"

Fru Fru sniffed and wiped at her tears. "O-okay...Hi Judy..."

"Hi Fru Fru. You've had a terrible shock, haven't you? Are you hurt?"

Fru Fru held out a tiny, bruised finger. Judy tut-tutted over it.

"Can you tell us some more details?" she asked, getting out her notepad and pen.

"I.. I went to Mousies' to have a look at the discount sale. And I parked my car and...and...SOMEONE HUGE OPENED THE DOOR AND TIPPED ME OUT ON TO THE STREET! RIGHT IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY! THEN THEY...THEY TOOK IT!" Fru Fru burst into fresh tears and hugged her father harder. Mr Big looked furious.

"Did you get a look at the thief, Miss Fru Fru? Nick asked gently.

She seemed very responsive to his tender tone. She turned and stared at him with soulful eyes. "It was a cat, I think. I've smelled one before. All covered up. A hood, gloves - even a mask!"

"A cat again," Mr Big said, and then hastily cleared his throat. "Fru Fru, my darling, go and have a bath, clean up. Call your hairdresser. Order a new dress and some jewels, fancy ones. Don't you worry, my Fru Fru. Go now. Daddy will take care of this."

She brightened, sniffled and left the room with a, "Bingo next week, Judy! See you then!"

"Just as well Little Judy wasn't with her when it happened," Judy said, and then froze at the look of horror on Mr Big's face.

The criminal boss put a hand to his heart and closed his eyes.

"Judy," he said. "Don't frighten an old shrew."

"I'm sorry, Sir."

"And," he said, still with his eyes closed, "Don't don't ever say that in front of my daughter."

"No, Sir."

"But you're right," he said, opening his eyes, and Judy stepped back from the malignant rage burning in them. She heard Nick flattening himself against the wall as the polar bears shifted slightly.

"This is embarrassing. I admit this. And I'll tell you something else: nobody gets away with messing with my Fru Fru. No-one! And Little Judy..." Mr Big paused to take a calming breath. "Now, I'm gonna break the code, and tell you what I know, which ain't much. I don't know who's behind this - no-one knows, yet, and I've asked - but I know where to look."

Judy and Nick leaned forward as his face took on an expression of distaste. "Catilatown. That's where all the stolen vehicles are going. Catilatown is...not a very civilised place. Lots of crime there, not much order, and not much of anything else, either. Many businessmen." He looked at Judy pointedly, and she nodded to show that she knew what he meant by "businessmen."

"And an inordinate number of bottom-feeders. Too many," he sighed, and leaned over to pick up his coffee cup from the desk. "It will be one of them. I'd have found out by now if it was a major employer. It...displeases me when the little fish try to act like big fish. Her car is probably going to be in a chop shop by this afternoon, so you won't get it back. But you can find out who did it. And then," he smiled nastily and gestured at the polar bear for another cup of coffee, "You will tell me who did it."

-Nick and Judy blinked as they stepped into the bright sunlight. Nick slid his sunglasses on and blew out a breath.

"Judy," he said. "Mr Big just ordered us to find out who Fru Fru's attacker was and deliver that information to him."

"Definitely Catilatown," Judy said. "Confirmed."

"Are you listening? They won't make it to justice. He will kill them."

She stared at him. "Nick, he won't."

"You're part of his family now, and he's using that connection to get revenge on someone. Judy, you don't work for Mr Big. Neither do I."

Judy was stung. "Of course not! He isn't going to kill them, Nick. He knows we have to bring the culprit to justice."

"Yeah," rumbled a voice behind them. They spun around. A polar bear shambled out of the darkness of a garage. "Youse don't hafta worry about that. Mr Big respects family, and Officer Hopps is the next best thing. He'll make sure she gets what she wants, and then he gets what he wants. Get it?"

"Is Mr Big going to kill the person who assaulted his daughter?" Nick asked bluntly.

"You're gettin' to be a brave boy, Nicky," chortled the bear. "You was smart, becoming a cop. Mr Big likes cops. They takes out the trash. And before, you was nothing but trash."

The officers stared at him coldly. The bear took one look at them and stepped back, laughing as he held up his paws.

"Just sayin'! Anyway, nah, Mr Big will respect what Officer Hopps is tryin' ta do. He won't kill anyone over this."

"That's great!" Judy said. "I told you, Nick! Nothing to worry about."

"But the perp ain't safe," the bear went on. "Mr Big will wait...he'll pick his moment...and then he'll get inventive. He's got a good imagination, has Mr Big, and he's kinda like an artist at this sorta stuff. So everyone gets what they want, and Mr Big gets the last laugh! HA HA HA! See ya."

The bear lumbered off.

"Let's go," Nick muttered, and they went back to the car, feeling eyes on them all the way there.

Silvy was lying in the back seat with her feet propped up on a window and her headphones on. She scrambled upright as they opened the doors and slid in.

"So how was it?" she asked. "What did he say?"

"He told us the problem originates in Catilatown," Judy said.

"I told you that!" yowled the cat. Judy and Nick laughed at her indignant tone.

"Anyway," Silvy continued. "What happened with the skunk rug? I overheard you talking about it."

"Umm...we'd better take you home now."

 **Thanks for reading the fourth chapter! You guys are all awesome! Please leave a review below!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Welcome To Catilatown

**Thanks for everyone who's still here! Read and Review!**

Nick and Judy shook hands at Clawhauser's desk.

"Goodbye, Judy."

"Goodbye, Nick. Only not goodbye, because, well, I'll see you on the train. But I won't be seeing you, because I won't be looking at you except as I normally would if I didn't know you -"

"Carrots."

"This feels weird, Nick. We'll both be on the same train, but we can't talk to one another. I'll be a cop and you'll be a "delivery guy".

"At least we'll both have window seats. Here's your tickets." Nick handed her the yellow rectangles. "The second train takes us forty miles outside the borders of Zootopia. Then you'll be in Catilatown."

"I'll get there an hour before departure'" Judy said.

"I'll get there ten minutes before."

"Bye, guys!" Clawhauser said, and sighed with regret. "I wish I was coming with you. I'd love to do undercover work."

"Only Nick is undercover," Judy said. "Someone has to liaise with the Catilatown police, so that will be me."

"That's gonna be hard," Clawhauser said. "Those Catilatown cops will spread your business all over Catilatown. They'll tell whoever asks what you're up to. They'll line their pockets pretty well doing it, too." He made a disgusted face. "They're..." He leaned down at them, and whispered, "not real cops."

He really had said something dreadfully insulting about the Catilatown police, but from the look in his eye, Judy knew he wouldn't take it back. She didn't want him to. In fact, she wanted to cheer at his words. Any officer who took cash bribes was certainly not her idea of a cop.

It was going to be difficult conducting an investigation while she was being watched by cops who would report on her activities to any criminal with a few dollars. Hence, she would look busy with political concerns and tell them nothing at all, while Nick got close to the street and did the real investigation.

"See you soon," Nick said. "And here's a hint, don't be offended, though...um..."

"Yes?" Judy asked.

Nick took a breath. "Be as cute as you can be. The cops there will believe it. They'll think you're adorable and ineffective, chosen because you're the Poster-Bunny for the ZPD."

Judy stared at him blankly, one ear flopping quizzically. Then she raised her eyebrows.

"Oooh," she said in dawning realisation. "Okaaaayy..."

"Don't hate me," he smiled.

"I'll be the best dumb Bunny you've ever seen!"

"And if you need to talk to me-" he began.

"I'll arrest you."

Judy pretended to stare at her phone as she watched Nick and his new friend from the corner of her eye. They sat across the aisle and several seats away from her, chatting casually and in criminal code as the train gently rocked across the last miles to Catilatown.

Nick had hooked up already. He and the lion had gravitated towards one another in the first hour of the trip, somehow having recognised something in the other that only those of their ilk - and police officers - would be looking for. Their conversation had begun with cautious queries and (to Judy) strangely incomplete answers that nevertheless seemed to satisfy. They had gone through a list of acquaintances and "business associates" that the other might know, and were now swapping stories and snorting with laughter.

The train slowed, then stopped. Judy saw the sign for Catilatown slide by the window. They were here.

She grabbed her case and filed out with the other passengers towards the taxi stand. Nick had a hire-car booked, and as she stood waiting in the queue, she saw Nick and the lion heading off in the direction of the car agencies. It seemed Nick was giving the lion a lift.

He was off to a very good start.

She hoped she would be as successful.

The idea of playing the cutesy-bootsy Poster Bunny turned her stomach. She had fought very hard to be taken seriously, first as a Bunny with a dream of becoming a police officer, then as a trainee, and finally as a qualified officer. She had proven herself and succeeded. And now she had to pretend to be exactly what all those who had laughed at her had thought she was, all along.

Judy realised that she was muttering this out aloud, and gave herself a mental shake.

Well, she would do it. For the sake of solving the case, she would do it, and she would do it so well they'd never believe she could possibly be one of the duo who solved the Nighthowler case! Not that they were likely to know about that out here. The residents of Catilatown were insular, disinterested in the world outside and didn't have newspapers that covered Zootopia news.

"Oh, I just love Bunnies. Look at her in her little police uniform!"

Judy kept her ears upright in the politely interested way that people seemed to find so endearing, but she did not turn her head. The taxi stand was flowing smoothly and she found herself at the front of the line.

"Do you think it's real?"

"Nah, Bunnies can't be cops. Must be on her way to a fancy-dress party or something."

Judy slipped into the taxi and blew out a breath.

"Get used to it," she told herself, and then gave directions to the hotel.

Catilatown was a somewhat attractive town, saved from ugliness by the beech and liquidambar trees on every street. The houses were pale brick and weatherboard single storey dwellings built between fifty and eighty years before. The streets were wider than those in Zootopia. Judy took it all in as the taxi driver took her through the central business district, which finally boasted some majesty with many multi-storied stone buildings, some over two hundred years old. They passed the bank, the law courts and the council offices. Judy would likely be coming back here to meet the mayor tomorrow.

She reviewed what she knew of the Mayor. Chief Bogo had indicated the mayor was crooked, and, rather delightfully, afraid of the Chief. That was good. It was likely that the media would be involved tomorrow, as her arrival would be a huge photo opportunity for the Mayor. That would be tedious.

The cat driver hadn't spoken to her since she gave him the name of the hotel. His name, she saw from the identity tag, was Ron Moony. He was a little surly, in fact, and now switched on the radio without asking her if she minded.

"...urged to call the West Catilatown Hospital Quarantine Division. Remember, the symptoms are fever, fainting and nausea, along with a distinctive purple rash around the mouth. The Hospital urges all citizens to Wash Their Paws before eating and after using the bathroom. And now," the voice became chirpy. "The weather!"

"Mr Moony," Judy asked. "What is this disease they're talking about?"

"Dey fort it was only cats what get it - yuh, it got a wolf now," the cat replied, and smiled nastily, his reflection in the rear-view mirror revealing a missing incisor. Judy couldn't help raising an eyebrow at a cat who openly didn't like wolves, even though Silvy had told her not to be surprised at such things in Catilatown. Racial tensions were high.

"But what is it?" She asked, belatedly realising that she was very likely asking the wrong person.

"A disease, it makes people sick."

Oh, dear. Okay.

"Thank you, Mr Moony," she said, and sat back in her seat.

"At first, it was a coupla big bosses," Moony went on. "An' some of dere leuitenants. Everyone fort it was somethin' they'd been dealin' in, coz dey all got sick at once. Den, some cats 'n rats on the East side got it. Dat was, two, three days ago. No-one else since, 'til now. This time, it's a wolf. Ha! I haven't smiled all week, not 'til I heard dat."

Judy thought that since he had decided to talk and had been surprisingly informative just now, she would try something else.

"Speaking of rats, what about those new cars, huh?" she said.

"Oh, dem little things?" Mr Moony snorted. "Dere rubbish."

Judy looked at the back of his head quizzically. "Rubbish? What makes you say that?"

The cat held the steering wheel with his wrists so that he could spread his paws.

"Coz dey don't work!" he exclaimed, obviously amazed that she could even question it.

"These are the vehicles manufactured in...Tundratown, in Zootopia?" she asked, and held her breath.

He passed the test. "Nah, dey's manufactured in de Rainforest District. Glad I never needed one, if I was a rat I wouldn't waste my money. Dat new type battery is a waste an' a lie. Don't go an hour before it needs a recharge. A waste, an' a lie," he repeated. "Dem cars are advertised all over der place - look, there's one of dere billboards coming up right now." He pointed, Judy looked. A familiar picture of a family of moles enjoying their beautiful, shiny grey car slid by. "The vehicle of tomorrow" was Zootopia's first efficient electric car.

"You a Zootopia cop?"

"I am, sir," Judy beamed. "Officer Judy Hopps!"

"You here for publicity or somethin'?"

"Uh...I'm here on temporary assignment, working with Catilatown Police Depart-"

His gaffaw cut her off.

"Officer Hopps, you ain't here for work with our cops. If you believe that, then someone told you a lie. Lies everywhere, here. This ain't Zootopia. An here's your hotel."

Judy stood on the sidewalk as he drove away into the twilight. She looked up at the storied brick building and thought that Nick was a very savvy Fox indeed. He'd known how it was going to be.

She didn't expect him to have arrived at the hotel yet. He'd probably gone off for a drink with his new lion friend.

She picked up her bag and entered the hotel. A young female tabby cat with green-rimmed glasses on her nose and several piercings in her ears looked up over her computer, scanned Judy over with her bright emerald gaze, and brightened with a broad, very pleased grin.

"Good evening, Ma'am!" she chirped. "How may I help you?"

"Good evening, I'm -"

"Officer Judy Hopps, visiting us all the way from Zootopia!" the cat cut in, her painted claws tapping with super-speed on the keyboard. "We are honoured to have you stay in our hotel, Ma'am! Uh, is "Ma'am the correct way to address you, Ma'am?"

"It's fine," Judy answered, bemused. "But I prefer Officer Hopps. And you are...". She read the cat's name badge. "Melanie."

"Officer Hopps it is! It's such a pleasure to have you stay with us, Officer Hopps!" beamed Melanie, and typed some more. "We have room 214 ready for you. There's a complimentary bottle of wine, flowers and a newspaper in your room. All snacks and drinks from your room are complimentary. The breakfast buffet is also complimentary and is held in the dining room, beginning at six-thirty and finishing at nine. Here's your key! We hope you enjoy your stay with us!"

Judy could think of few times in her life when someone had been this happy to see her, or so generous. Fru-Fru came to mind, but Fru-Fru had reason to like Judy and was genuinely sweet. Then Judy's travel-weary policebunny's brain kicked itself into life and she realised there was more going on here.

"Bar snacks, flowers, and wine, too?" she asked. "Is that normally complimentary?"

"We offer special considerations to our most special guests," Melanie said, and gave another big, friendly smile. "As a guest of our Mayor, you certainly qualify!"

Judy suppressed a smile. A guest of the Mayor? She realised that Chief Bogo had bullied the Mayor into picking up the bill for her accommodation whilst she was here. He had a tight grip on the Mayor, that was for sure. And an even tighter grip on the ZPD's budget.

"Thank you," Judy said. "I'll take my own bag."

She turned towards the elevators.

"Oh!" said the cat, in a near scream that startled Judy. "Gosh, I nearly forgot! There's a gift from the mayor waiting for you, too! It was delivered this afternoon. By courier! I put it in your room. It's AMAZING!"

Judy looked back at her. "How do you know it came from the Mayor?"

The cat's mouth hung open. "Uh...because the delivery documents stated it came from the Mayoral Office and the Mayoral Office called to make sure it had arrived..."

"Thank you, Melanie," Judy said, and trotted over to the elevators, which stood in an alcove behind a giant potted plant. Judy pushed the button and waited for the elevator. The doors opened, two cats stepped out, and Judy stepped inside. She dropped her bag on the elevator floor, pushed the button for the top floor, and stepped out again before the doors could close. Then she melted into the alcove, next to the potted plant, and listened.

She heard Melanie wish someone a good evening, and the swish of the automated doors opening to the outside - the two cats who had exited the elevator were leaving the building.

Then she heard Melanie's voice again, in a one-sided conversation that indicated she was on the phone. "Sir? She's just arrived. You said you wanted to know?" Then, "Yes, she's just gone up to her room. Two-one-four. No, she didn't ask about that. Just wanted to know why everything was complimentary." A longer pause, then, in a lighter, happier tone, "Oh, yes, you should see her, she's really cute! Oh, of course you will see her. Silly me! Oh, and she likes to be called "Officer Hopps". Uh, was there anything else...um...she took her own bag up. That's about all, Sir. No, that's definitely all. Thank you for the opportunity to - oh, darn." Judy heard the sound of a phone being huffily slammed back into its cradle.

Judy reached over and pressed the button to summon the elevator again. The doors opened and she joined her bag inside. She spent the short ride rocking on her heels and thinking.

Her room was a corner suite and was simple, but larger than she had expected. There were two Queen-sized beds, a lounge area, and an up-to-date bathroom. On the coffee table was the promised newspaper, a vase of mixed flowers, a bottle of red wine with an accompanying glass... and on the small dining table near the door was the Mayor's gift.

Judy's jaw dropped.

On the table sat a massive conch shell shape made of swirling layers of many-hued lettuce, overflowing with vegetables, fruit and nuts that had been cut - no, perhaps conjured - into flowers, ferns and drapery.

She stared at it, sniffing.

After a time, she took out her phone and took photos of it from several different angles. Then she stared and sniffed a little more.

She read the accompanying card.

Eventually, she reached out a paw and gently stroked a chrysanthemum carved from a carrot, even more exquisite than any natural member of that species. She ran her paw-pads down a tight green piece of silverbeet, which had been transformed by a genius into a fern frond. Peaches now expressed themselves as frail seed pods bursting with blueberries inside. Strawberry skins had been magicked together to create pomegranate shapes, fat with neatly-arranged almonds as their seeds. Judy felt something expand in her soul as she used sight, smell and touch to experience a Cornucopia that would visually, olfactorily and culinarily delight any Bunny on the planet. This was Art, and it was not for eating. It was for dreaming about if she were ever stuck on a desert island.

She took a few deep breaths in preparation, and then she slowly took it apart.

Nick was enjoying himself. His companion was cultured, as Lions often were, but didn't display the same degree of priggish stuffiness some other lions suffered. His name was Quiet John, and he had done time for an unspecified white-collar crime when he was barely more than a cub. Nick could guess, though. Lions didn't end up in prison very often, and if they did it was usually for things like embezzlement.

The two of them sat hunched on stools at a small corner table in a Tundratown-style bar. It was a lovely old bar, complete with a dartboard that had seen enthusiastic use. The small spaces and dim atmosphere gave a cosy and intimate environment.

"Ok, on the cat side there's Maestro Jim, and he has alliances all over Catilatown. Not bad to work for." The lion shrugged. "Cross him and you'll die a slow death. Red Hamish is a ginger cat, a nasty piece of work. Remember Freddy the Knife? He died two years ago. His kid Sam took over and he's an unknown quantity. Everyone's watching him. Then there's Charles the Fence, mostly stolen goods, he doesn't get on too well with the bosses but he knows how to grease their wheels so they leave him alone. Technically, he's a boss himself, as a lot of people work for him. Now, the others...Grace Turner is the biggest...then there's Captain George..."

"I used to work for the Captain sometimes," Nick said. The lion smiled.

"I did too. Still do, from time to time. He's the best of the bunch. Grace still hates him."

Nick recognised many of the names, but some were new. He took it all in, placing where they all fit and where the balance of power currently lay. When Quiet John's knowledge was exhausted they began talking of the old-timers, the larger-than-life criminal characters that would be legends in Catilatown for the next hundred years. The Lion spoke of them with a fond pride, and then asked Nick if he thought Zootopia's new generation of bosses measured up to the old.

"There aren't that many bosses in Zootopia," Nick replied. "And most of them are older, but their kids haven't taken over yet. They seem to hang on. Mr Big is still going strong."

The Lion spit out his drink. "Mr Big is still around? You're joking. I met him when I was just starting out and I don't mind admitting that he scared me. Really scared me."

"Scares me too."

"Not just me, either. I was with Freddy the Knife and he doesn't give anything away, you know how it is. When Mr Big left the room, Freddy kind of...let out a breath of relief."

Nick laughed.

"I had to pretend I was about to sneeze, so he wouldn't think I noticed. My goodness, Mr Big. What about...but no, you're a bit younger than I, you might not know this one...very old-school...likely long dead..."

"Try me. Catilatown or Zootopia?"

"Mostly Zootopia. He was good to me and I just wanted to know when and how he died. Thelonious Wolf. Heard of him?"

Nick frowned, and then his eyes went wide.

"Yes!" he said. "Ha-ha, you won't believe this. I met him yesterday."

The Lion gave him a dead-pan look.

"I did, I swear!" Nick said. "Well, sort of. He's in a nursing home. He uses a cane."

The Lion finished his beer and said nothing, clearly not believing him and offended. Nick leaned forward and looked the Lion in the eyes.

"Ya-ta-ta," he whispered, and the Lion roared with delight.

Nick avoided getting drunk. Quiet John had insisted on ordering another round, then another, but Nick told him that he was meeting "a lady" and stuck to soda. Judy must be wandering where he was by now, but she knew what he was doing. When his phone chirped, he excused himself and looked at the text message. There were two photos attached. The second photo would have sobered him instantly had he needed sobering.

The first image displayed a weird-looking but lovely object that Judy's text explained as a gift from the Mayor. The second image showed a close-up of a few scraps of what looked like salad on a wooden surface, in the midst of which was a tiny metal object. Nick knew what it was.

He texted back.

"Ok bugged. Might not be only one. Leave it alone. Text not talk. Send to Bogo."

The reply came back immediately, and made him smile.

"Already taken care of, from not so Dumb bunny."

"I have to go," he told Quiet John. The Lion staggered a little as he rose. Nick drove him home, which turned out to be a small house with old-fashioned curtains and "mother" written all over it. Quiet John said he knew where Nick could get work, if he needed it. They shook paws and exchanged numbers, then Nick turned back to the hotel.

Judy read the Mayor's card again and set her alarm for seven. A car would be sent for her at 8:30am to take her to the Council Offices for a meeting with the Mayor at nine. Judy bit her lip, thinking of the extravagant and very expensive gift from the Mayor and the listening device contained within it. What did he want?

He'd been clever, thinking that a Bunny would never, ever destroy the Cornucopia, but not quite clever enough. She was a police officer first. And that told her that the Mayor had underestimated her...

...or that he didn't really know what a police officer was. This was Catilatown, after all.

That was likely to be to her advantage. In fact, they'd planned their strategy around Judy appearing to be less capable and astute than she was. But what if the Mayor had worked that out, or at least suspected it, and had sent her the gift to see if she would find the bug?

Darn it, the maids. They'd see what she'd done to his gift and report what she'd done to the Mayor.

Judy looked at the mess on the table, sighed, and picked up the lettuce shell. She looked at the photos on her phone and then put the Cornucopia back together as best she could. The bug was carefully placed back inside. When she compared the photo with the reconstructed version, she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Oh, but she wanted to make the Mayor suffer for making her ruin a Cornucopia.

Then, she had a brainwave and checked the bar fridge. There were two small metal loops on the front and side of the fridge, right at the top. Perfect for a luggage lock. She opened it and found that if she took out all the beverages and the shelves, there would be room. She smiled in satisfaction. Anyone who knew what was in there would assume that she was simply trying to preserve the Cornucopia as long as she could - and to protect it from theft.

And something else didn't matter anymore, either. A bunny would never eat a Cornucopia, but Judy had already ruined it and so she went to bed with a full stomach.

It was the most expensive meal she had ever eaten in her life.

When her alarm went off the next morning, she went downstairs and examined the breakfast buffet. There was a shortage of fresh vegetables on offer, so she poured herself a hot chocolate and took it upstairs. She unlocked the fridge and ate the rest of her breakfast.

And as she ate, she thought that the Mayor must be one of the cruelest, most manipulative and underhanded creeps she was ever just about to meet.

 **Please drop a review below! It would make my day! :) See ya next chapter!**


	6. Chapter 6 - The Mayor

**Okay, Chapter 6! Enjoy!**

Judy walked down the steps of the hotel and was confronted by the sight of a black limousine parked directly in front of the hotel. Judy had only been in one limousine before today, and that was Mr Big's. She checked her iCarrot to make sure that this was the car that the mayor sent, and it definitely was. A tall, white cat with black shades and a black suit waited with the back door open, smiling politely. Judy gave him a friendly smile in return and got into the car with a little hop. The interior was even bigger then she had thought; just a ridiculous amount of space to transport one bunny around. But then, she thought, what about Mr Big, who could just as conveniently be carried around in someone's pocket?

It was about the show, she realised. A display of one's status and dignity in society, and how one should be thought of by others. Some vague, cautionary thought tapped at her brain.

"I'm Lightfoot. We'll be there in about 20 minutes, Officer Hopps," the cat announced in a deep voice before shutting the door.

Judy sat frowning through the trip, and when she failed to pin down the reason for her unease, she distracted herself by checking her texts. Nothing from Nick, but at this stage, that was good news. She wished he was here. The two of them together were very good at figuring things out. She wondered, was she only half a cop without him? That wouldn't do at all. She had to stand on her own two legs and play her part, or she would be letting Nick and everybody down.

Finally, the car stopped and the tall cat opened the back door for her. Judy slipped out of the car and looked at the large building in front of her.

It was about ten stories high, five black windows on a side on each floor. It looked to be about the biggest building in Catilatown.

"I'll escort you to Reception, Officer Hopps," Lightfoot said. Judy let him lead the way.

The driver preceded her up the steps and opened the door for her. Judy was immediately greeted by a gush of cool air. The foyer contained a desk, a bookcase with magazines, and comfy looking chairs strewn around the room, some of those occupied by people, mostly cats, with an attitude of waiting. Behind the desk sat a young black and white tom cat who was happily tapping away at the keyboard to a computer. The driver removed his sunglasses and strode to the desk.

"Officer Hopps of Zootopia has arrived. Please inform Mrs Loy."

The cat peered past his computer screen and looked down at Judy, who waved.

"Oh, hi! Uh...right away, Mr Lightfoot."

"Mrs Loy is Mayor Boote's secretary," said Lightfoot, as the receptionist picked up the phone. "She will take care of you from here. In the meantime, make yourself comfortable, although you shouldn't have a long wait."

"Thank you, Mr Lightfoot," Judy said. The driver smiled and bowed slightly, then left through the front entrance.

Judy was right about the chairs being comfy. She had trouble getting up on one - she heard someone snigger at her first attempt - but after a large jump, she managed to sit there securely, supported by fat cushions. The chairs weren't any roomier than normal, they were just positioned higher up from the floor. She looked around the room at the other occupants, perched neatly with their tails curled in their laps, and thought it must be a cat thing.

They stared back at her, taking in her small, neat form in its uniform. Whispers started around the room. Judy eyed stack of magazines on the table and wondered if she dared hop down and get one.

She looked up as an elderly female chocolate tabby approached from the elevators behind the reception desk.

"Officer Hopps? I am Mrs Loy. Will you please come with me?" the cat said. She had a low, warm voice and enunciated her words beautifully. She wore a turquoise, flared pants suit, a grey-flecked scarf around her neck, and silver jewellery. Judy thanked her and tried to hop off the chair without scrambling.

Mrs Loy glided across the floor and Judy followed. Mrs Loy moved a little slowly, likely due to her age, but with dignity, and with her handsome features Judy was reminded of an old movie star. She joined the cat in the elevator and watched while the cat pressed the button for the eighth floor. During the ride up, the elderly cat spoke up.

"Officer Hopps. I have read much about you. It is a pleasure to meet you."

"Thank you, Ma'am. A pleasure to meet you, too."

The doors opened, and they stepped out into an elegantly furnished suite of rooms.

"Please, sit, Officer Hopps. May I offer you some refreshments?" asked Mrs Loy. "We have excellent coffee, tea, chocolate, wine, beer, ale and mineral water, also a fruit platter, salad plate with or without smoked fish, caviar and pickled herring, freshly cooked garlic snails and blinis, broccolini tart with gruyere cheese, prawn and scallop risotto-"

"No, thank you," said Judy, trying not to laugh.

"-with white wine and cream - no? Very well, Officer Hobbs. The Mayor knows you are here and will join you in a few moments."

Judy sat on a low couch and looked around the room. Then she took out her iCarrot and opened her text messages. Still nothing from Nick. She composed a message to him.

J: Hey Nick, waiting for mayor. Limo. Gourmet food. ?

Judy pressed send and got a reply after about 30 seconds.

N: He wants something. Last time was bug. He's greedy so thinks u r 2. What this time? Caution. Watch what u say.

J: ty

Judy rubbed an ear and looked around again. "Mrs Loy? These rooms are beautiful, really lovely. I think you decorated them?"

Mrs Loy sat behind her desk, and she looked up in surprise, a small smile of pleasure on her face. "Officer Hopps, how did you know it was me?"

"Ma'am, it's obvious." Judy smiled.

"To a police officer, perhaps," the cat said. "Tell me, please...what made you decide to become a Zootopia police officer?"

The cat seemed genuinely interested, so Judy put on her most enthusiastic grin.

"I joined the police force so that I could serve and make a difference, and make the world a better place!" she said proudly. "I'm Zootopia's first rabbit police officer!"

"You've solved a few cases now. Made a name for yourself. I read the foreign newspapers; it seems you're a well-known face in Zootopia. The Department likes to put you on the front line, dear."

Mrs Loy was looking at her with an odd intensity.

"I suppose that's true," Judy said cautiously.

"How are you as an actor?" the cat asked, and nodded towards the double doors leading into the Mayor's office.

"Ma'am?"

"It's called a hint, dear," Mrs Loy said quietly, just as one of the doors opened and a slightly overweight ginger cat with green eyes bounced across the carpet and stared down at Judy.

"Hello, Officer Hopps, good to meetcha!" he said. His stance was confident, and his voice was the voice of a happy cat, one who should be doing voiceovers for television ads...or convincing people to buy used cars. He shook her paw, gripping her elbow with his opposite paw. She bore the dominant gesture as though she hadn't noticed it, reminding herself that this clown was frightened of her boss.

Judy beamed at him.

"Hello, Mayor Boote."

"It's a pleasure! Now, how's that boss of yours, Chief Bogo? Getting on a bit now, is he?"

She heard the hopefulness in his tone.

"He's fighting fit and strong, Mr Boote. Just entering his prime, I'd say."

She was fascinated by the almost-sincere grin that stretched across his face.

"Isn't that fine? Come with me, please, Officer Hopps. I just need a few words with you first."

"First?"

He didn't answer, but beckoned her across the floor and into his office. Judy looked around as she went in. There were double doors on the other side of the room, directly opposite those she had entered. The same high ceilings and heavy drapery featured, proving Mrs Loy had worked her magic in here as well. In the middle of the room sat a large desk with a computer and some paperwork bunched in a messy pile. A very large chair, almost a throne, sat behind the desk. It clashed with the rest of the room and was an obvious choice of the Mayor himself. In front of the desk was a much smaller chair, lower to the floor than a car would prefer. Judy got up into the smaller chair and waited as the mayor settled down amongst his overblown finery.

"Please, call me Henry," the Mayor said. Judy nodded and smiled, not wanting to tell him to call her Judy. She was a police officer, and he would speak to her as such. Boote gave up waiting for an answer and continued to speak as if nothing awkward had occurred.

"So, Officer Hopps," he stated curiously. Judy waited. "Chief Bogo called me and told me you were coming here to work on a very interesting case." Judy flinched at his tone. It sounded like he was talking to a young child.

"Yes, Chief Bogo assigned me to this case and it has lead to Catilatown. That is correct."

"I admire your dedication. Coming all this way over a few stolen cars, ha ha! I feel that I should inform you as to how things work here. We all have to work within the framework of our particular societies, and, well, ours is quite different to yours. There are citizens here of high standing who should not be disturbed in their daily endeavours. I just want there to be no misunderstandings."

Judy nodded to show she understood, but to her surprise, he thought she didn't. He leaned forward.

"People like Mr Big, whom I'm sure you must have heard of. He has his counterparts here. They are very important citizens and do not like to be disturbed."

"I understand," she assured him quietly. It wasn't news. She, Bogo and Nick had expected no less.

"Do you, Officer Hopps? I hope so, I really do. There can be no mistakes here. They and the people who work for them should not be interrupted. If you need to make an arrest, it should be cleared through me first."

Judy's mouth dropped open.

"Sir, that kind of restraint could cripple the operation."

"Henry, please," the Mayor said, though his hard eyes belied his warm words. "The good news is that it is the only restraint. I don't care how you solve this, but these people will be kept out of it."

"The likelihood is that one of these citizens is involved," Judy said. "What if that is the case?

"It isn't, I promise you," said the Mayor. "I'm glad we're in agreement, Officer Hopps. And now -"

He broke off as he picked up a remote control and pointed it at the far doors of the room. They slowly swung open and a crowd of people in dark clothes hurried in, carrying cameras and microphones. Nearly half of them were cats, an equal number of rats, a few foxes and a determined-looking gerbil.

Judy stiffened in her chair and her head whipped back to the Mayor. He was rising from his chair, chuckling and rubbing his paws together and looking so pleased with himself that she wanted to push his entire face into a bowl of cream.

And hold it there.

The Mayor stepped forward with his million-dollar grin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know you have been waiting and I thank you for your patience! May I introduce our guest to you now - Zootopia's star police officer, Judy Hopps. Officer Hopps is leading a task force of officers hand-picked from our own esteemed police force, for the purpose of TRACKING DOWN and ARRESTING the perpetrators of this most vicious of crimes, that of selling rodent cars stripped of their power cores and replaced with inferior power core copies! Officer Hopps, I give the floor to you."

The Mayor stepped back, clapping loudly as the cameras rolled, and then the questions began. This was far from Judy's first time in front of a media crowd, and she handled herself well in spite of her shock. Finding out who was stripping and selling the cars? The purpose of their investigation was to bust open the mystery of who was organising the theft of Zootopia cars, and to discover what was happening to the stolen property. It might be the same people who were stripping and selling rodent cars, but it might also be a different bunch of people involved there, which would make the case unrelated.

But Catilatown would not care about stolen Zootopia cars. The Mayor was playing this his way, and the people of Catilatown would love him for it.

So she smiled and twinkled for the cameras, and spoke of how she looked forward to working with the local police force. She gave a brief outline of their operation - Zootopia's version, not the Mayor's - and then began handling questions. The cats were polite but tough and the rats were earnest, but when the gerbil rolled forward and growled out a question, they all fell quiet to let him be heard. She replied that they had good leads, although if any member of the public had information to add, they should contact the police.

"Yeah, like that'll happen," said the gerbil. "So, if Mayor Smartass there is going public with this, it means it ain't the bosses." He raised an eyebrow and chewed on his pen as he looked up at her. "This one'll be good."

The other reporters laughed nervously and instantly, the press conference was over. The Mayor laughed along with them, shaking his head as if the gerbil was just too much, the little rascal. Judy saw the look the two gave each other a moment later. "Hatred" was a word that fit.

She liked that little gerbil.

The reporters began filing out. Mr Lightfoot stood just inside the outer doors. Judy looked at the Mayor, who took on a sudden busy attitude at his desk.

"Do you have any questions before you leave, Officer Hopps?"

Judy could think of a few, but they were all rude.

But there was something she wanted to acknowledge.

"Thank you for the Cornucopia," she said. "It is indeed a feast for the eyes."

"Ah," he said. "Yes, that. Oh, you're not keeping it in the fridge, are you?"

"Well, of course," Judy replied innocently. "It will last longer."

She was betting that his bug couldn't pick up anything through the fridge walls.

"You shouldn't," he said. "Just keep it outside for a day or two, let it...ripen, or whatever."

Judy blinked at him, wondering how, even under these circumstances, a cat would think he could convince a bunny that he knew more about the art-form of Cornucopia than she did.

"Thank you," she managed.

"And now, Mr Lightfoot is waiting. Good-bye, Officer Hopps! It's been a great pleasure. Oh, and don't forget to watch yourself on television tonight! You do put on a great show." He walked across the carpet, shook her paw rather impatiently, and then turned her towards Mr Lightfoot.

Judy nodded to Mrs Loy on the way out. The old cat had tried to warn her. A few minutes after that, she was out into the fresh air. She breathed deeply.

Mr Lightfoot drove her to her hotel in silence.

-–-

Judy lay on her bed, got out her iCarrot and opened Nick's contact.

Judy: I hate the mayor.

Nick: Well then, that's helpful. Ok why?

Judy: He made me destroy a Cornucopia. He sprang a press con on me with no warning. AND he won't let me make any arrests without his permission.

There was a pause before Nick answered.

Nick: Have you told Bogo?

Judy: Yes, I told him about the Cornucopia yesterday.

Nick: Priorities, Carrots. I meant about the no-arrests-without-permission thing.

Judy: I'm about to. What are you doing?

Nick: I'm on the street. Looking for old friends and new acquaintances.

Judy: Progress?

Nick: Not yet. Will let you know. Met your colleagues yet?

Judy: No, will do that this afternoon. Having a rest right now. Horrible morning.

Nick: :(

Judy: Be so much easier if you were here. Sorry shouldn't whine.

Nick: Oh, but I wouldn't miss you as much

Judy: Oh, really?

Nick: No, coz i'll see you tonight on TV

Judy: Shut up

 **I love the gerbil, I just wanted to say that. Anyway, review! See ya next chapter!**


	7. Chapter 7 - Not You!

**Hi! Bit of a shorter chapter.. Sorry about that. Read and Review!**

Nick walked down Catilatown's main shopping strip. The street was busy with cats, foxes, and other animals with their shopping bags and children. One mother cat ordered her kits around in a voice that should have warned them she was already past patience, but they were distracted by the shop windows and the pleasure of their own bickering, and they ignored her. Nick smiled slightly and continued walking until his phone buzzed.

He stepped out of the way of the passers-by and looked at the text. It was from an unknown number.

'Nick, glad you're back. We should catch up, meet me at our spot. ~R'

Nick immediately knew who R was and knew where the spot was. He slid his phone back in his pocket and picked up his pace. He took several turns and cuts and finally reached an abandoned alleyway. In the corner of it was a small, black cat he knew only as Rocco.

"Rocco! Hey!" Nick exclaimed as the cat raised his paw in greeting. His face had a long scar that started at his left temple and went down almost to his chin, crossing through his eye socket along the way. The injury had ruined his eye, which was a milky blue. The other was a dark gold, almost brown. He wore blue jeans with a red shirt, and a black jacket.

"Nick! How've you been?" Rocco replied as they shook paws. Rocco and Nick had become friends, of a sort soon, after Nick stepped off the train in Catilatown for the first time.

"Fine, just peachy. Just came here from Zootopia - the cops were getting wise and I need to let things cool down. What about you?" Nick answered, letting go of Rocco's paw.

"I'm fine, can't say the same for Sasha, though," Rocco replied.

"What's wrong with Sasha?" Nick asked, remembering Rocco's boss. She was a sleek, female cat with a bright white coat. She was clever, though a fairly minor boss in Catilatown.

"She got sick, purple muzzle and all. You heard of that? Warning signs are everywhere. Yeah, well they ain't kidding, I saw it happen. Last I heard, she was in hospital quarantine. She left her sister in charge, and things have gone downhill a bit ever since then," Rocco replied, emotion flashing in his eye. He put his paws in his pockets and shifted his stance slightly. "Something's not right here."

"Roc, I'm sorry. She'll be alright," Nick said.

"Yeah, but enough of that. How was Zootopia?" Rocco said, obviously forcing himself to change the subject. Nick didn't argue with that.

"It's fine, lots of cars are getting stolen though. They end up here. How do I get a piece of that?" Nick asked.

Rocco spread his paws. "Now, that's weird. No-one knows, or at least won't tell if they do. You know how it is - someone always blabs, and then everyone knows. But get this; my pal Danny is a rat; he's a mechanic and he checked out one of those new 'better' cars being sold second hand. They definitely came out of Zootopia, but the power supply was completely bogus! Not the factory-standard. Just any of the rubbish brands you always regret buying, because, well, they're rubbish. They last a few hours and that's it."

"Not factory standard," Nick repeated. "So what is factory standard?"

"The manufacturer turns them out with the new Zerkon power core. That lasts a week on average, before needing to be recharged. That's why the towing companies are getting plenty of work - you know, I was thinking it might be worth taking a couple weeks driving a tow truck, earning an honest buck for a while, until Sasha gets back..." he trailed off unhappily.

"Who's selling the cars? What'd your pal Danny tell you about that?"

Rocco smiled. "It was in a warehouse, at night, the lights shining on the car, everything else in darkness, and the vendor talking but unseen. He said he smelled wolf."

"But any wolf here would be someone's enforcer, otherwise they wouldn't be tolerated," Nick said. "That means a boss."

"That's right. Yeah, and things have changed a lot there. Ten years ago, no wolf would dare come here. Now, they come for employment and the bosses want them because people are scared of them." Rocco's expression soured. "It's changed the game. It's changed Catilatown."

"Are the people switching the power cores the same people who swiped them from Zootopia?" Nick asked.

Rocco shrugged, and looked at him curiously. "Dunno. Why you wanna know?"

"Just trying to find out where the money is," Nick said cheerily. "Someone's making cash and it ain't me."

"It's the power cores. They're worth more than the rest of the car put together. But where they end up, no-one knows. Just the rubbish cars are sold, real cheap. But you know what, I'd leave this alone if I were you," Rocco said. "If it ain't a boss, then whoever it is, is gonna get it when the bosses find out and catch up with them. If it is a boss, then they're crossing territories and that will mean a war. Stay out of it, Nicky."

Nick nodded, as if he was seriously considering the advice. "Hey, I'll buy you a coffee. You can tell me where to find work and I'll tell you what's going on in Zootopia."

Nick spent the next hour trying to cheer Rocco as much as possible, and was glad he had. Rocco told him Sasha was the third boss to fall sick in the last week. He seemed to think that Sasha and the other two had been targeted. That seemed implausible, especially when he reluctantly admitted that a few dozen other people, unconnected with Sasha or the other two bosses, had also been confined in quarantine for the same illness. Rocco was distressed and, perhaps, looking for an understandable reason for her falling ill, anything other than random chance.

He found himself in Lilac Street, which was right in the middle of the territory that Quiet John had told him about. The name definitely lived up to its expectations. The streets were lined with lilac trees with late purple flowers. The houses were old fashioned and slightly dull, making the beautiful flowers look out of place. When he got near the middle of the street, he was confronted by a pair of muscular, grey wolves. Nick silently gulped.

"You new around here?" The taller wolf asked, his voice deep and rough, and it wasn't really a question.

"Kind of," Nick told him, trying to keep his voice calm. "I just came from -"

"I don't think you're in the right place, friend. I think you should go back," the other wolf said.

"I was told working here wouldn't be a problem." Nick replied.

"Who told you that?" The wolf's eyes narrowed and he leaned a bit closer to Nick.

Nick knew that he should not say it was Quiet John.

"A lion."

There was a pause, then the wolf's stance relaxed.

"All right, never mind. Have a good day," he said, and both the wolves turned and strode away. They were good, he thought. They had picked him out instantly and were surprisingly polite during the encounter. That could have gone a lot worse.

He began to wonder about Quiet John.

He walked on, looking for somewhere to eat lunch. He wondered how Judy was doing, meeting her colleagues for the first time.

He noticed a decent-looking restaurant across the street called 'Paddy's'. He could see the patrons through the window, enjoying their food. It seemed as though the place was popular. Nick smiled as he saw a young fox cub with its mother through the window, the mother tickling the cub to keep him amused as they waited for their food. It reminded him of his own mother.

He looked away and continued to walk down the street, giving a friendly smile to anyone who passed him. It always seemed to work for Judy. Since he was a fox, most thought he was up to no good and looked away, or scowled at him.

He felt a soft paw tap him on the shoulder from behind. Nick turned and was astonished to see the dark silver cat, Silvy, standing before him with a large grin on her face.

"No," he blurted. "Not you again!"

She giggled

"Silvy? What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"What, no kiss?"

 **So, Silvy's back! What do you guys think? See ya next time!**


	8. Chapter 8 - Lunch

**Hey, sorry for the wait. I changed the summary, if you noticed. Anyway, read and Review!**

"Silvy, what are you doing here?"

The dark silver-grey cat stood before him, looking quite pleased with herself.

"I was bored, so I decided to follow you. I'm just kidding!" she added, in response to his angry face. "I came down here to visit some family and I heard you were in town. So, I thought I might see how things are going." She spread her paws. "So, how is it going?"

"I know why you're here, Silvy, and you can't help," Nick said, his voice going slightly softer. He made himself relax his stance. The lunchtime crowd moved around them. He took her sleeve and drew her over to a shop window where they could talk without blocking the path.

"Come on, at least let me take you out to lunch," she said, raising her eyebrows in invitation.

"I'm busy," Nick said, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Busy walking around the streets?" Silvy asked. "Okay, Nick, let me ask you this. Do you have any leads?"

He stared at her, eyes blank behind his sunglasses.

"Do you want one?" she asked, her voice soft and serious. "I found out something."

Nick stared at her for a few seconds, thinking it over and wondering just how far he could trust her.

"Well, it's a free lunch," he said. They turned around and walked down the street, back the way he had come. Nick slouched along casually, while Silvy was obviously excited and would have been skipping if her limp hadn't slowed her down.

"Awesome! Have you ever eaten at Paddy's before? It's really good." Another measure of her excitement was the speed of her speech; the more enthusiastic she was, the faster she spoke.

"Nope, but it seemed like there were a lot of people in there when I went by. I think it's full," Nick told her.

"No problem, my brother owns it. Here it is," Silvy said, as they approached the restaurant. "Just a minute."

She slipped down an alley towards the back of the building. Nick followed cautiously. She led him to a large allotment surrounded by cyclone fencing. A vegetable garden took up most of it. In a corner was a playground with a cubby house, monkey bars, climbing walls and a curving slide.

"Paddy grows a lot of his own vegetables. The food is really fresh, sometimes served less than an hour since it was picked, and that makes a huge difference to the quality of the food," Silvy explained. "And to what people are willing to pay for their meal. Their kids play out the back during the day. There they are!" She pointed to the cubby, where emerged a little female cat and a slightly younger male cat. They both had milky white coats, causing them to stand out against their environment.

"Hi Amy! Hi Xander!" Silvy called to the two kits, who looked at her and waved.

"Hi, Aunt Silvy!" the little male yelled as he flung himself onto the monkey bars. Nick smiled and gave a little wave, but the kits just looked at him curiously.

Silvy led him back to the front of the building and entered. The door opened into a small but colourful foyer, with an entrance to a larger room containing three dozen tables and lots of people seated before their meals. A cream coloured tom cat wearing a formal red jacket and black trousers came forward, smiling a genuine smile from his green eyes.

"Hey, Silvy! You want to eat?" he said, eyeing Nick around Silvy's hug.

"Hey Paddy, yep, I do," she said as she stepped back.

"Great, and who's this?" Paddy asked as he offered his paw to Nick. "Manners, Silvy."

"This is Nick. He's a friend I met in Zootopia," Silvy explained as Nick took off his sunglasses and shook paws with Paddy.

Paddys eyebrows went up and a small smile crept onto his muzzle. "It's nice to meet you, Nick. I don't usually meet Silvy's dates."

Silvy burst out laughing.

"We're just friends," Nick said, awkwardly.

"Oh. Oh well," Paddy said, the smile never leaving his face as he turned to the desk and picked up some menus. "I have a table in reserve. You can have it. Come and be seated!"

"Yeah, and wipe that smile off your face," Silvy said to her brother's back. Nick heard Paddy chuckle. He led them to a table nears back corner and passed them their menus as they sat down.

"You need to be really careful here," Silvy said, her voice soft as she looked at the menu.

"Thanks for your worry, but I can take care of myself," Nick said. "I've lived in Catilatown before."

"I know, I'm talking about this restaurant," Silvy said, peaking at him over her menu. "There's a boss in the corner, two tables behind you."

Nick smiled at her. "Red cat with the black hat, with a pretty lady cat and two wolf enforcers?"

"Well done. Captain George, I think," Silvy said, lowering her voice even more.

"I know."

He did know, and it was frustrating. He had worked briefly for the Captain and had been in the same room as him a few times, but had never spoken more than two words to him. Greeting him here, as if they were social equals, would be inappropriate. So would asking any questions. Interrogating the Captain would be the fastest route to a violent accident.

After ordering, Nick put his menu aside and looked Silvy in the eye.

"What do you do when you're not bugging me?" Nick asked. "Do you work here, too?"

"Sometimes, when they're short handed and I need the cash. It's a real family concern."

"Any other brothers and sisters?"

"Yes, we have an older sister. But, haha, she wouldn't be caught dead here." Silvy said with a small smile.

"Why not?"

"Some of the bosses eat here."

"Your sister doesn't like the bosses?" Nick asked.

"She blames them for our mother's death."

Nick's right ear twitched a bit. "What happened? If you don't mind me asking."

"When my Mom was having Paddy and I, the doctors were paying more attention to a boss's wife, who was also having kits. My mother died because of their negligence," Silvy explained, in a matter-of-fact tone

"I'm sorry," Nick said. She shrugged.

"It's fine. Paddy and I never knew her, of course. Can't say the same for my sister, though. My sister has the view that the bosses are nothing but parasites who hurt and control people for their own greedy ends. She is a doctor and sees it as her duty to heal and help people," she said.

Nick raised an eyebrow. "She sounds like someone worth knowing."

"Actually, we don't get along. She's made it clear that she's not interested in us," Silvy said.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Nick spoke again.

"So, you lived with your dad?" Nick asked.

"Uh...yeah. We lived with him for seven years, then we went to an orphanage," Silvy said, emotion flashing through her eyes. "I don't want to talk about him."

"All right," Nick said.

A few moments later, he spoke up again. "Silvy, what did you want to tell me?"

"Mm?" Silvy peered up at him.

"You said you had a lead." He hoped she wasn't lying about that. If he detected a lie in her now, he would have to make sure she did not become a risk to their investigation, or their lives, for that matter.

"I do. Okay. Yesterday, I saw a car heist in Zootopia. It was late afternoon, the beginning of the peak-hour rush. The perp was a wolf in a mask and a strange kind of armour, or a jumpsuit. He shoved the car into a backpack and took off. I followed him." She waved away his disapproval. "Please, yada, yada, yada, I don't want to hear it. Anyway, he spent the night at this run down hotel - "Paradise Hall." I waited outside and the next morning I followed him on to a train. He got off at Greystain, the stop before Catilatown, and he drove away in a car he had waiting for him. I have the registration number. At that point I lost him, because I had no car. I got back on the train and travelled one more stop to Catilatown, and here I am."

"God, Silvy. You shouldn't have done that, you could have gotten hurt, or even killed," Nick said. "I know you don't want to hear it, but you had no partner, and I'll bet the Chief didn't know. No-one knew, no-one would have known where to look if you went missing."

"I can take care of myself. Even with my leg, I could beat you up. But," Silvy leaned in and lowered her voice. "I'd better not, otherwise my brother might get the right idea. See, Paddy's dream is to see me get married, and I don't want him to stop hoping. It's too much fun."

Nick gave up his lecturing and chuckled as a young cat approached with their food. Suddenly very hungry indeed, he twirled his fork through the pasta and scallops and and took his first mouthful.

Behind Nick, there was the sound of a chair crashing over and a cough. Nick swung around in his chair and Silvy stood up. Almost everyone in the restaurant turned and looked as Captain George writhed on the ground, his muzzle such a dark purple muzzle that it looked like a bruise. His pretty dining companion shrieked at a nearby waitress to call an ambulance, while the wolf bodyguards looked wildly around and yelped questions at one another. One of them drew a weapon, though he had it pointed at the ground. The waitress took in the scene in an instant, nodded and dashed away, while several other staff crowded around - but not too near - the fallen cat.

"Sir," said one of the waiting staff to the gun-toting wolf. "We can't help him if you're going to shoot us. Please put the gun away."

The wolf glared at the waiter, who held up his paws and glared back. "Fine. Your boss needs room. Turn him on his side and loosen his collar. Make sure he isn't choking."

The other wolf moved forward and did as instructed, while the gun-happy wolf stood guard. Staff and customers continued to stand and stare.

Nick peeked over their shoulders as they lifted the boss and did their best to sit him in his chair. A forest of ears flicked toward the street as they heard a siren approach. He felt Silvy at his side and heard her inhale sharply.

"This is the fourth time this has happened this week. What's going on?" she muttered.

"What?"

"The fourth boss. There are a few dozen others who've fallen ill, but don't you think it strange that in a population this size, out of forty people who come down with this illness, six of them are bosses? Two last week, four this week."

Nick felt a prickle all over his body. "Who were the others?"

"Uh... Sasha, she's a crime boss, Charles The Fence, also a crime boss, Tiger, Hammerhead, Redclaw, and now Captain George," Silvy whispered, trying to keep her voice down so only Nick could hear.

Nick nodded. "What's going on?"

The doors burst open and two paramedics with a stretcher hurried into the restaurant, ordering everyone out of the way. They carefully loaded and strapped the boss onto the stretcher and carried him out towards the ambulance and on his way to the quarantine hospital. One of the wolves got into the back of the ambulance; there was no room for the girlfriend or Mr Gun-Happy, who sat forlornly in the foyer, staring down at his gun as he turned it over and over in his paws. Paddy brought him a drink and encouraged him to sip it. Then he turned to address the room.

"A drink on the house for everyone!" he announced. "Thank you all for keeping so calm and sensible. I'm lucky to have such good people with me today! The waiting staff will be around to take your orders, so, please, return to your seats and spend the next few minutes thinking about what you would like."

Nick heard the magic in Paddy's words, and then the hair stirred on the back of his neck as the energy in the room altered. The cat had told them they were calm and sensible, and that's what they suddenly wanted to be. In fact, Nick realised, they wanted to be praised for being calm and sensible, and rewarded for that with a free drink in their paw.

He knew the language of the con, and realised that Paddy was a master. Though...there was none of the self-serving greed and laziness that had characterised Nick's previous life. Paddy just knew and liked people. He looked at the restauranteur with a new respect as the room slowly began to stir.

"The bosses are being targeted," Silvy said thoughtfully into the silence, and then, as fifty shocked faces turned to stare at her and her brother gave her an exasperated look, "Whoops!"

 **Haha, oh Silvy..**

 **Anyway, please drop a review below if you enjoyed the chapter! Sorry again for the wait!**


	9. Chapter 9 - John Doe

**Thank you everyone who's still interested in this story! Just so you know, this story has 18 chapters and two epilogues. Just so you know :).**

 **Read and Review!**

Judy climbed out out of the taxi and looked up at the police station. Instead of the ZPD's circular, vibrant and lovely building, this square, two-storied building was dull, apart from the graffiti on one side. Lack of sunlight allowed moss to grow on the other side of the building.

She walked up the steps to the double doors, kicking her way through rubbish. Anger stirred in her stomach. She knew there was no money to clean the streets, but someone could at least sweep the steps in the morning. Even a kid would do it for a couple of dollars.

"Put your face on, Poster Bunny," she muttered as she pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The foyer was definitely better then the outside, but there was a musty smell and dust and dead flies decorated every window. No-one sat at the desk. Judy headed through the foyer and into a corridor lined with office doors. At the very back of the building, she found the staff cafeteria.

It reeked of coffee and sour milk, and was messy. Collections of half-empty coffee cups sat on unwiped tables by the walls. Cheap aluminium chairs stood scattered every which way. The largest table, the only object in the room made of wood, stood in the middle of the room. It was the most scarred table Judy had ever seen, and looked as though it was used as a scratching post. But Judy's attention was focused on the officers around the desk.

A golden female cat sat on the desk, one leg crossed over the other and her paws behind her to support the weight of her body. A black tom cat sat next to the golden female, sipping a cup of coffee and reading a newspaper. Next to him sat a brown tom on a metal desk chair, his chin resting on his left paw. The fourth and final cat was a stone-grey tom who stood in front of the others, gesturing with his paws as he told a story.

As she entered, they all turned to stare at her, and she discovered that being stared at by a room full of cats was a very uncomfortable experience indeed.

"Hello, I'm Officer Judy Hopps. I believe you've been told to expect me," Judy said as she walked to the centre of the room. She smiled at them all. The female smirked back at her as the brown tom sitting on the desk chair rolled his eyes. His stance was all nonchalance, but Judy saw his tail twitch.

"I don't remember, were we?" he said.

Judy fixed him with a bright gaze. "Certainly, you were. The Mayor has given me his assurance of full co-op-"

"Oh, the Mayor," said the brown tom. "Never met him."

Judy took in a calming breath, and tried on another bright smile. "I assume, then, that he or his representative spoke to your Chief about this case? I would like to introduce myself to your Chief as soon as possible, please. Where might I find-"

The room erupted into shrill laughter. Judy blinked, and waited politely until it passed.

The grey tom was still giggling as the female said, "You don't know the Chief's name, do you?"

"That I do not," Judy said. "But I will remedy that."

"I'd like to see that," said the black tom, and turned back to his newspaper.

Judy was becoming angry now, and bewildered. Why were these officers so hostile?

Well, being polite wasn't getting her anywhere. Judy knew well what to do when someone put an obstacle in her way - either get around it, smash through it...or make it unimportant.

Judy turned her back on the cats and went to the door of the room, which she quietly closed. She felt their interest rise.

"Just in case some poor benighted soul should happen to come to you for help, and overhear us," Judy told them. "It would have to be someone really out of touch, though, wouldn't it? Someone who doesn't have a clue just how far things have fallen here. Why isn't anyone at the front desk?"

They stared. Judy waited, and they stared some more. After a moment, she realised that they were trying to be intimidating. This is the way cats did it, after all. Staring and staring for hours until somehow, by some esoteric signal, a winner was decided, and the loser slunk off in defeat. Fights only happened when there was no other solution. And it was four against one.

Such behaviour from an officer towards his colleagues would never be tolerated at the ZPD.

"No-one's at the desk, and this place is dirty, inside and out. The officers are not the type who would help a person in trouble," Judy said. The black tom looked uncomfortable. "Tell me, who do you work for?"

"Anyone who remembers we're still alive," the brown tom snapped, fury breaking his silence. He stood up and strolled stiffly towards her, his tail lashing.

"So," he said, his voice carrying a suppressed angry vibe. "You're our little bunny cop from Zootopia." He moved around her slowly, his arms crossed over his chest and one of his incisors showing in what could be taken as either a half-smile, or a sneer.

"Yep," Judy said, looking him in the eye. "So you remember now." She picked up a half-full, cold cup of coffee from the desk and peered into it, sniffed it, and then put it aside.

The female gave a small, amused laugh. "Bunnies are so cute when they try to be brave!"

This caused the other two to chuckle.

The brown tom stopped his circling and shot the female a glare.

"Melissa, shut up."

Melissa rolled her eyes and made a 'My-Mouth-Is-Zipped' motion.

So, Judy thought. The brown tom is running the show.

The tom moved closer and towered over her, his eyes as vicious as daggers. Judy met him eye to eye. She did not dare look away. The cat bent down a little closer to her, his tail lashing behind him.

"You think you know how it is? You think you can come here and tell us what to do? You don't need to be here. You're not wanted or needed. Catilatown isn't exactly the safest place for helpless prey like you, so it's best if you just go home. It's just a few stolen cars," he said, and then his voice dropped to just a whisper and his yellow eyes remained unblinking. "Nothing to get eaten alive over."

Judy realised that he was afraid of her, although she didn't know why.

"Did you do it?" she whispered back. "Are you on the take, Tommy?"

The cat growled and unsheathed his claws, but Judy was unfazed. Her eyes went half-lidded and her foot unfurled as she prepared to give him the kicking of his life. He knew it. She felt his hesitation and his wavering; he sensed she had too much confidence and that this wasn't the way it was supposed to go. Then a voice spoke up.

"Woah, Fred, don't hurt her, I don't fancy going to jail." Melissa spoke nervously from the table.

The cat let out a breath and slowly backed away, but kept his claws unsheathed. He stood in the middle of the room, breathing heavily.

"Smart boy. Fred, is it?" Judy said. She wanted to take a deep breath herself.

He didn't answer. Judy walked forward until she was standing at the front of the room, in front of the unspeakable sink. The other three cats stared down at her.

"Fred, if you try that again, I'll thump you stupid."

She tapped her foot on the floor, and four pairs of eyes stared at her feet. There was a waiting silence.

"So, uh, Officer Hopps, you're working on the missing rodent cars case?" Melissa asked, slightly friendlier then before.

"Yes, Officer...?" Judy asked.

"Twopads."

"Officer Twopads. Why did you think I was here?" Judy said. She knew that Melissa - Officer Twopads - was trying to take the heat off Fred and give him time to recover his equilibrium, but the cat's next words drove Fred right out of her head.

"Some of us thought...it was the Night Howler incidents."

A prickle went up Judy's back. She breathed deeply for a moment. "Why would you think I was here about Night Howler incidents?"

Fred laughed. "Oh, come on. As if you were here about the stupid cars! Look, you may think we're a second-class city, but we DO have television. We know you're the ZPD's poster-bunny, ever since the Night Howler drug hit the streets. It was the case that made your career, wasn't it? The drug is now here, and so are you. Doesn't take a genius to figure out what you're really doing here." He turned away from her and headed for the kettle. "Sniffing around Catilatown for more glory."

Judy watched his back as he made himself a coffee.

"I am here to investigate the car thefts from Zootopia," she said quietly. "I wasn't aware the Night Howler problem had surfaced here."

Fred snorted, his back to her still. The stone-grey tom spoke up.

"It has. There's been four reported incidents over the last month. We took down one, the others were handled privately." By the bosses, he meant. "Seven maulings, all cats. No deaths, yet. The latest "victim" of the drug is in hospital. A wolf. Says he must have been singled out at random, but we don't believe him. We think he took the drug on purpose."

"Why do you think that?" Judy said. "Officer...?"

"Treebound. Sorry. And that's Micky - I mean Officer Boundy," he said, and the black tom nodded brusquely. "Well, this wolf's a bad liar, and not too bright. The injection point was on the inside of his elbow, not on a part of the body that would be penetrated if he were shot from a distance. He keeps saying he was shot by an unknown assailant, though. Thinks we're as dumb as he is."

Judy scratched her ear. "I can think of a reason he would do this, and I don't like it at all."

Officer Treebound nodded. "Yeah. Whenever there's something forbidden, some idiot will want it. There's some who want the the experience. They think they're returning back to Nature, or something. We think he isn't he only one. Only he won't talk."

"An entry point at the inside of the elbow indicates he could have injected himself," Judy said. "Or, did someone else inject him?"

"There was no trace of drug paraphernalia in the backpack we found with him," Officer Boundy volunteered. "In fact, if it wasn't for that backpack, we wouldn't have caught him. It was clipped across his chest and belly, and it caught on a fence as he tried to squeeze through. We were able to tranq him then."

Judy's heart began hammering. "And what was in the backpack? Do you have it here?"

"In the evidence locker," Officer Twopads said, and at Judy's look, ran out of the room to get it.

"All he had was a wallet, a chocolate wrapper, and a train ticket," Fred said sullenly. "From Zootopia, so we know where he got the drug."

"Not necessarily," Judy said. She felt she could hardly breathe.

Officer Twopads brought the backpack, a plastic bag of its previous contents and some gloves. Judy donned the gloves and went through the contents, which were much as Fred had told her. The wallet had no ID in it, but had forty dollars and change. She looked at the ticket.

"A twenty-four hour ticket, dated yesterday," she noted. "Excuse me."

She left the room and went into the grubby foyer, pulling out her phone as she went. She texted:

"Clawhauser, any car thefts last 24?"

She waited five minutes for a reply, pacing nervously as she waited. When her phone trilled a return text, she nearly dropped it.

"One. Little Rodentia, yesterday 4pm. Wolf perp."

Judy whooped. Officer Twopads came into the foyer.

"Um, Officer Hopps, is everything alright? Hey, where are you going?"

Judy paused at the outside doors and looked back at her. "To the hospital."

Judy jogged across the streets, getting curious looks from other mammals as she passed them. They'd likely never seen a police officer in a hurry before. She zigzagged through several more streets and suddenly the Catilatown Hospital building loomed ahead of her.

It shared lots of similarities with the Zootopia Central Hospital, but it was slightly smaller and less vibrant. She stepped inside to see the waiting room completely empty apart from the bespectacled female cat at reception. She looked at Judy with confusion, but then smiled.

"Hello, what can I do for you today?"

"Hello, I'm Officer Judy Hopps from the ZPD. I need to interview a patient at this hospital, a wolf who was brought in by the CPD with Night Howler symptoms," Judy said.

The cat nodded and turned to her computer, where she typed for a few seconds, then tapped her claw against the desk as she waited for the screen to load. Judy looked around impatiently as she waited, looking back up at the cat every so often. Finally, the screen loaded and the cat looked at Judy over her glasses.

"Okay, that's a John Doe. Room 243, top floor. He's awake and back to normal, but he's still a bit irritable. Just keep it in mind."

Judy gave a nod and headed towards the elevator.

The ride up was quiet, and when she stepped out, she hurried through the halls until she reached room 243. The door was open and Judy saw a grey wolf in a hospital gown sitting in bed, watching TV with the remote in his bandaged paw. Judy saw he was about eighteen.

She knocked on the door quietly, trying not to startle him. He perked up and looked around, obviously expecting to see a mammal his size. His eyes went down to Judy's height and they went wide. Then she saw him take in her uniform and his expression shut down.

"Hello, Sir! I'm Officer Judy Hopps from the ZPD, how are you feeling?" Judy asked, smiling.

"Uh..." His shoulders arose defensively. "I'm fine."

"That's good to hear. Would you please tell me your name, Sir?"

"No."

Judy moved closer. "Would you tell me what happened to you earlier today?"

"I'm not telling you anything, rabbit," the wolf replied. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at her. "I already told those other cops everything, so why are you bothering me? Can't you see I'm sick?"

"Perhaps if we go through it again, you'll remember more," Judy suggested as she sat down in a chair by his bedside.

"It's a waste of time!" he griped. "Don't get comfortable. I need my rest and you gotta leave. 'Barking Mad' is starting in a minute. I'm not gonna miss it 'cause of you."

Judy smiled brightly.

"Okay then, if you don't want to talk to me now, that's fine. I'll be back a little later, when you have time."

Judy smiled at the wolf, who didn't respond. His eyes were studiously locked on to the precious TV as she exited the room.

Out in the hallway, Judy pulled out her phone. One more text to Nick. She smiled broadly at the reply, and then made her way to the restaurant named Paddy's.

 **That was chapter 9! Since I don't have anything else to day, see ya next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10 - Party Poppers

**This is probably the longest chapter in the story, maybe I should've made it into two chapters. Meh.**

 **I want to thank my co-writer and editor again, you're awesome! (Just so you know, she doesn't have an account on this website.)**

Nick entered the large hospital and waved at the receptionist, who gave him a friendly smile. He took the elevator up to the top floor, but when he stepped out, he did not immediately go to Room 243.

He wandered down the hallway, stepping around a snack cart handled by a blue-uniformed bear. He found a likely-looking storeroom and, as soon as no staff were watching, he slipped inside.

There were uniforms stacked on shelves by size. They were blue, however, not green or white, and he realised that these uniforms were for catering staff.

"Perfect," he muttered.

Five minutes later, he walked down the hallway, his back to the bear, and slipped into 243.

"Hey, Bud!" he called to the figure in the bed. "How about a snack?"

"That'd be great! Whataya got?"

The wolf struggled up onto his elbows and looked hopefully at Nick. He was young, but fully grown. A typical, self-centred teenager, Judy had said. Nick calculated quickly, and decided on a strategy.

"Sandwiches, or cookies, and coffee, tea, pop."

"Can I have everything?"

Nick shrugged. "Sure, I think I can swing that for you. The cart's coming now. It won't be long."Cool."

Nick stuck his head out of the doorway, checking on the progress of the cart. Six rooms away, and coming fast. He didn't have much time.

"It must make you hungry," he said.

The wolf looked at him confusedly. "What does?"

"The Nighthowler drug. Must make you hungry? Look, I know you couldn't help it, that's what they're saying in the cafeteria, anyway, I mean, but I've often wondered, you know...what it's LIKE."

"The Nighthowler drug? You're asking me what it's like?" The wolf was more guarded now. Nick thought fast.

"Yeah. But you can't remember, can you? You were in that primitive state, a predator for real. How cool would that be? I'd love to - well, you know. I just want to feel it, to know what it's like. To really know myself. To hunt! But even if I could get some serum, afterwards I wouldn't remember what it was like any more than you can. So I guess there's no point to it, after all."

"I remember a bit."

Nick turned, his eyes wide. "Yeah? What do you remember?"

The wolf smiled dreamily. "Everything was simple. I didn't have to think much, only thought about what I needed. I was a true hunter. It was a rush, a pure rush."

Nick leaned in the doorway and took on a dreamy expression of his own. "Oh, yeah. Tell me. I feel it, I can really feel it."

"It's better than you think," the wolf told him, hauling himself up to a sitting position. "All this stuff we think about, you know, like when your Dad's on your back about getting a job, or when your Mom's on your case because you didn't take the garbage out...all that's gone, it doesn't even cross your mind. You don't worry about stuff. It doesn't matter. All there is, is you, and what you need. I tell you, I'd do it again and again."

"Yeah," said Nick, staring at the toe of his trainers. This wolf was young and shallow...a dream to manipulate. "But I suppose I gotta be real. I'm a fox; I could hurt someone. So could you."

"Nah, they got you locked up so you don't. Only, I got out. The concrete floor was broken and I dug my way out." The wolf held up his broken claws. There were bandages on the first two of each paw. "I didn't care that it hurt. That's another thing. I wasn't afraid of anything, not that whole time."

"Wow," Nick said. "Hey, I gotta tell ya...I wanna do it!"

"You gotta do stuff for them," the wolf told him. "That's the price. But it's easy. And you gotta keep your muzzle shut, like I do. Okay?"

"Yeah," Nick said. "Um, any other advice?"

The wolf blew out a breath. "Yeah. When you go to have the experience, wear light clothing. They'll tell you that. Don't wear the backpack, though. That's what got me caught."

Nick squinted at him quizzically. "Why did you wear a backpack?"

"'Cause it was cool. Best one I've ever had. They gave it to me the day before and I didn't want to lose it. The cops have it now." The wolf scratched grumpily at his sheeted leg. "Dunno if I'll ever get it back."

Nick managed not to smile.

"So, dude, can you hook me up?"

"Okay," said the wolf. "I'll hook you up, but you gotta promise not to tell."

Nick straightened up from his slouch against the doorway. "Seriously? Yeah, I promise!" He drew a claw over his chest. "Cross my heart, dude!"

Nick's heart pounded with excitement as he left the hospital. He went straight to Paddy's, and was greeted warmly by the owner.

"They're here," Paddy told him. "It's quiet today. We're shut down, actually, because of the sick patron at lunch time, so I'm not serving the public right now - just family and friends."

He led Nick into the dining room, which was more than half full.

"That's a lot of family and friends," Nick observed.

"I've been wanting to get everyone together for a while, and I thought, what a wonderful opportunity!" Paddy replied. "We'll be open to the public again for dinner, though."

"The Health Department will investigate that quickly?" Nick said. "Can they clear you in just a few hours?"

"Nope," Paddy smiled. "But there are those of my patrons who won't want this place closed for too long. They'll fix things. We'll be open for dinner."

Nick shook his head in admiration. "Are they here yet?"

"They're out the back," Paddy told him. "Follow me, if you please!" They skirted around the diners and came to a door at the back of the restaurant signed, "STAFF ONLY". Paddy opened it and Nick stepped inside.

"I have to get back out the front. Let the staff know if you want anything," Paddy said, and withdrew.

Nick's gaze took in a kitchen staff room, with a coffee machine and cups on a bench to one side. Opposite that were several tables with padded chairs. At the back of the room, Judy and Silvy sat on comfortable-looking lounge chairs. Silvy's legs hung over the arm of her chair, her back curled against the other arm. Judy sat on an identical chair, her head tipped back and her eyes half-closed. She looked exhausted.

As soon as he walked into the room, her eyes sprang wide open and she bounded out of her chair. Nick caught her up in a hug.

"Good to see you!" they both said, and then laughed. Judy gave him an extra squeeze before letting go.

"It's been a heck of a day," she told him. "A real heck of a day, and now there's this." She nodded towards Silvy.

"Hmm," Nick agreed, and they both turned to stare at the unruly cat, who grinned and poked her tongue out at them.

"I've had a heck of a day too," Nick said. "You were right about that wolf. Wait 'til I tell you what just happened..."

When he finished his story, the bunny and the cat were silent for a few moments. Then Judy spoke.

"Nick, you are a genius. I knew you could get him to talk!"

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart," he smiled. "But who was it who realised the wolf with the backpack was the one? That was smart. You deserve a big, big carrot."

"Wolf. Backpack. Zootopia. Cat witnesses car theft. Is anyone going to notice me?" Silvy grumped. "Can I have a carrot, too?"

Nick opened his mouth, but Judy waved at him reassuringly. "Silvy told me she saw the theft and followed the wolf in Zootopia. I agree there's a likelihood that it's the same guy you saw today, Nick. What I find strange," she turned to Silvy and fixed her with a clear-eyed stare, "is that you didn't go to the ZPD with this. You came here with the story instead. Why?"

Nick took up an identical stance beside Judy.

"And none of this 'visiting your family' rubbish" he warned her, and Silvy fidgeted uncomfortably. "We're tired of your evasions, and your popping up everywhere you shouldn't be. What are you up to?"

Silvy stared back at him, looking caught.

"And why should we trust you?" Judy added.

That seemed to hurt the cat. She gazed around the room and at the floor at her feet. Judy wondered why Silvy wouldn't answer, and then realised the cat was struggling not to cry.

"I miss it," she said softly, and looked up, meeting Nick's eyes, then Judy's. "I'm a cop. I haven't got a badge, but I'm a cop. I don't want to be anything else. And I want to help. Please."

"Silvy, it's too dangerous. You are a consultant. You can't come on this one," Judy said. She believed the cat, utterly, and felt bad for her.

"If it's dangerous, it's just as dangerous for you two as it is for me, and besides, the risk's on me, not the ZPD," Silvy protested.

"You can't run," Nick reminded her.

"I'm very capable. Just because my leg is a bit damaged, it doesn't mean I'm helpless." Silvy retorted, crossing her arms in front of her. "You need another pair of eyes and ears and a trigger finger. I can do that. Unless you want to rely on the Catilatown police?"

Judy blinked. "I thought Twopads might be useful-"

"I was joking about them! Oh, for God's sake, tell me you're not letting them in on this?"

Judy met Nick's gaze. They hadn't planned the operation yet, but she had indeed had a vague idea of using one or two of the CPD officers as backup - well, anyone but Fred.

"They're undisciplined, sloppy and full of bad attitude," Judy murmured to Nick. "I don't even think they've had any training. They've picked up bad habits from all over the place. They don't have a Chief, so no-one's responsible."

"Oh, I'm sure they can be useful," Nick drawled. "At least, their weapons locker will be. And their surveillance equipment. I'll need a wire."

"I'll bring a weapon!" Silvy said.

"No!" Nick and Judy shouted, in unison.

"But it's legal here. You're allowed weapons in Catilatown," Silvy said, with a small cat-smile. "Even little old grandma elephants carry some sort of pea-shooter."

"Should they need to?" Judy asked, and sighed. This town...

She and Nick looked at each other for a moment, thinking it over and, as they often did, reading each other so well it almost amounted to telepathy. They turned back to Silvy.

"Fine, Silvy, you can come." Nick said. "How many times have I said that in the last week?"

"Way too many," Silvy said, and they all chuckled. The tension amongst them lightened.

"You'll be in the van, operating the surveillance equipment," he told her. "And letting Judy know if I need assistance. Okay?"

"Woo-hoo!"

"You two had better get over to the cop shop now," Nick said. "I'm sorry I can't help. I can't go near it until all this is over."

"Interesting how we're talking about secret stuff when we're in the most popular restaurant in Catilatown." Silvy said.

"Best place to do it," Nick said. "Just ask the bosses."

Judy and Silvy pulled up in front of the police station. Judy turned the car off and turned in her seat to look at Silvy.

"Are you sure you want to come in with me?" she asked. "These officers are a bit of a handful."

Silvy snorted through her delicate nose. "They're not officers."

Judy studied her for a moment, noting the cat's unforgiving expression. "No, they're not, and I understand your disappointment in them," she said gently, feeling both a sadness and an anger in her own heart that these people called themselves police officers. "But we have to get along with them today. We need that equipment and since we're on a schedule, we need it without being hindered in any way."

"They'll hinder us if the Mayor or someone else has told them to," Silvy said.

"Yes. But in the case no-one's told them to, I don't want them to get in our way simply for the fun of it," Judy told her.

"Okay. Let's go."

They exited the car and went into the building. Absolutely nothing had changed. The grubbiness was still there, as was the unattended desk.

Judy pushed her way into the back room, and found Officer Boundy and Fred playing table tennis. They had used the scarred table and a length of fishing net. The paddles and ping-pong ball were authentic. Fred had the ball in his paw as she walked in, preparing to serve. He eyed her, saying nothing, and then served the ball to Officer Boundy with a viciousness that Boundy couldn't prevent. The ball bounced once on the table and hit the wall, bounced around the unwashed cups and ended up in the sink.

"Gentlemen," Judy said. "I need your assistance in locating a few items."

Boundy turned in surprise. "Oh, you're back." He laid his paddle on the table. "What do you need?"

"Boundy, get the ball. It's in the sink behind you," Fred interrupted.

Boundy reached into the sink, retrieved the ball and bounced it across the table back into Fred's waiting paw.

"It won't take long," Judy said. "Surveillance equipment, tranq weapons, two vests."

"You have to finish the game, Boundy," Fred said.

"In a minute," Boundy told him, and then turned back to Judy. "I think I know where all that stuff is."

"Just show us where it is, please, and we'll do the rest," Judy said.

"Who's we?" Boundy asked, and then spotted Silvy lurking just outside the doorway. She glared at him and said nothing.

"This is Ms Claws, a consultant to the ZPD," Judy said. "Ms Claws, this is Officer Boundy...and Fred."

"I know who they are," Silvy said shortly.

Fred's upper lip lifted and he served another angry ball into the sink.

"Hello. Uh, right. Follow me. Fred, I'll be back in two shakes," Boundy said, and led the way.

The vests were shoved into a dusty box and looked like they'd never been used. The surveillance equipment had its own lockable case and was also covered in dust. Judy was thankful that the CPD had kept it locked. It was an older model, but if it still worked, it would be serviceable.

Boundy left them to test the equipment, which indeed still worked. Judy wasn't surprised; it had seen hardly any use and the only danger to it had been the dust.

Judy and Silvy grabbed everything they needed and made their way down the corridor. Judy stuck her head inside the staff room to say thanks and goodbye. The words faded from her lips as Fred strolled forward, smirking. Her heart sank. Fred was going to make trouble.

"You can't take that equipment today," he told her, eyes gleaming yellow with malice. "It was previously booked. You'll have to leave it here. So sorry."

"I see," Judy said coldly, putting down her burden. "Show me the paperwork, please."

He grinned. "Of course. We follow procedure around here, Officer Hopps."

He joined them in the corridor and proceeded to the next room, where Judy was confronted with a mess of folders, some on the shelves and others on the floor. Unused computer cables were unravelled across the floor, presenting a hazard for anyone trying to cross the room. Following procedure? Clawhauser would have had a fit.

Fred went straight to a green folder and lifted it off the shelf.

"This way," he told Judy as he passed her, smirking.

He led them back into the staff room and laid the folder on the table. He turned opened it and turned the first three pages, then spun the book around until it was under Judy's nose.

Judy turned the next four pages, noting the many entries, every single one dated today. Judy looked up and met Fred's eyes, and something nasty passed between the two of them.

"He's even checked out the computer cables," Silvy said, from behind her shoulder. "You've put a lot of effort into this, Fred. I'm impressed."

She limped forward, and around the table. Officer Boundy stood aside for the little cat. He had, it turned out, better instincts than Fred.

With one smooth movement - like poetry in motion, thought Judy, even as she watched in horror - Silvy grasped the desk chair and pivoted, bringing the heavy item across Fred's head. He dropped to the floor and lay still.

"And that is that," Silvy announced, as Judy ran forward to check that Fred was still alive. He was. His nose was bleeding and his eye was already swelling. Silvy must have caught him with the ball foot of the chair. He stirred, raised his paw to his muzzle, and then noticed her hovering over him. His paw uncurled into a rude gesture.

Judy's mouth tightened and she stepped back. Silvy took her place and stared down at Fred.

"You're no police officer. You don't deserve a uniform. You're a loser, corrupt and selfish, serving a corrupt and selfish town and making things so much worse...". She stopped herself and turned to the paperwork with a fury. "Pen!" she barked at Boundy, who started to pat himself down in a panic. Judy silently handed her one. Silvy did a few corrections and handed Judy the pen.

"Sign. Then let's get out of here."

They were soon on their way. Judy put the equipment in the trunk of the car and drove them several blocks before she opened her mouth to start the conversation. She closed it again. It was a conversation that must be had, but she knew very well that without Silvy's action, they would not have the equipment they needed in time for tonight's operation. She would have had to visit the Mayor again, with the complaint of "it appears that all equipment in the CPD is currently in use" sounding childishly like, "Fred won't let me play with his toys."

She looked again at Silvy, who was smiling at her with understanding. "That's the way it is, in this town. It's not Zootopia. The same rules don't apply. We're not that evolved, yet. Yes, it makes me mad, too...it's why I went to Zootopia, where I could make a difference. You need to see more, that's all, and then you'll get it."

Judy watched the road, and said, with a heavy heart, "It shouldn't be like this. And I'm worried about what he'll do next."

"It's hard to grasp for someone who was raised in a society where people strive for fairness and equality. I grew up here, and by Catilatown standards, I am above that little waste of skin. He's jealous of you and doesn't want you here, so he put some thumb-tacks on your path. I performed the correct action, and he knows it. It's over."

"He'll retaliate. He'll get you somehow," Judy warned, and Silvy pealed with laughter.

"No, you still don't get it! If Fred were that silly, my brother would be moaning all through the day at his restaurant, bewailing the inconvenience of being short a waitress, his own sister no less, because some stupid cop took up an unauthorised vendetta...my brother has friends that would take that in and ask only one question: "What is his name?" Here, it's who you know. And Fred knows who I am. Don't worry about it."

Judy took her at her word, though it was hard to shake the disappointment she felt in this town, in its people.

Silvy was still watching her. "It's the way it is," she said softly, and they drove further into the dying day.

Nick looked up at the abandoned warehouse, also known as 9 Willow Road. The building was dark, with no illumination showing through the barred windows. Moss grew on the walls and weeds grew out of the cracked concrete surrounding it. One of the windows on the top floor was broken and the others were covered in thick layers of dirt. Nick knocked on one of the metal doors. Flakes of rust fell from it and left reddish-brown smears on his knuckles.

He had followed a chain of wolves and cats to get to this place. Interviewing each one had taken time, and he had doubted that this meeting would be taking place tonight at all. To his surprise, the agreement for the meeting had come through as the sun was setting, and here he was, at 9pm, trying to wipe his paw clean on the wall.

The door opened and he was greeted by two strong, young wolves. One was an icy-white, arctic wolf and the other was a grey. They glared down at him.

"Name?" the grey asked in a deep, gruff voice.

"Nick."

"This way," Icy said, and they turned and led the way into the building.

Due to his night vision, Nick could see very well in this deep darkness. He followed the wolves far into the depths of the building, but stopped when they pointed to another set of double doors, leading, he guessed, into what would have been a production area in more prosperous times.

"She's waiting in there," Icy said. "Be polite."

"Thanks," Nick said, and pushed open the door.

Inside, it was a lot lighter then the other room, due to the large window on the back wall catching the brightness of the moon. Sitting on a couch in the middle of the room was a female, dark silver-grey cat in a jumpsuit and a mask. She looked identical to Silvy, except for the fact that she was slightly taller and had less curves. Nick recognised her instantly. This was the cat he had seen running along the roof of the retirement home.

"So, you're Nick," the cat said. Her voice was soft and cold at the same time. Nick wondered if she were trying to disguise it.

"Nick, yeah. And you must be Ms Grey," Nick replied.

"That's correct. Now," the cat paused. "Do you want the Night Howler serum?"

"Yeah, I talked to a friend and they said it was worth it. So, here I am." Nick shrugged. He could smell something, a chemical scent, but not unpleasant. Something he'd smelled before, but not often...an image of a cub's birthday party came to mind.

"Who?"

"Pardon, Ms Grey?"

"Who told you?" she repeated, and leaned forward. Her mask displayed a snarling cat's features. "I need to know. No serum for you until I DO know."

The wolf in the hospital had blabbed and would be in terrible trouble for it, if this cat had a long reach.

"One of Mr Big's people, a driver. He got hit two years ago and told me about it. Since then, I've wanted nothing more than -"

"Mr Big," the cat said thoughtfully, and then paused, as if thinking, before she pulled out a notepad and looked at it for a few seconds.

"I'm sure you're aware of this, but to get the Night Howler serum from me, you need to work for it. I need you to go to Zootopia and obtain a rodent car. Without getting caught, of course. Get caught, and you're on your own."

"The usual rules. Sure, I can do that," Nick said. The cat gave him a sharp look.

"The usual rules? Ah. I see. Well, I'm not doing this for personal profit, Mr Nick, I assure you."

"Actually, it's just Nick, not Mr -"

"Here's a backpack, triple-reinforced," she interrupted, tossing an item at his feet. "Use it."

"Ok." Nick nodded, and picked up the backpack. It felt heavier than it should.

"There's a mask and an armour-suit inside it ," Ms Grey told him. "Use those, too. You'll find the armour interesting. Bring it back, at all costs, even if you have to abandon the car. I suppose you're going to ask me why you need the armour?"

"Er...yes?"

He saw her mouth spread in a smile below the mask.

"This armour is extraordinary, the first of its kind. It is light and will protect you from bullets of any calibre, and prevent most bruising if you are shot. But such technology is hardly unique. You need to be fast at this task, Mr Nick. This suit is powered and this improves the speed and strength of the electrical impulses from your brain stem to your musculature. Your reaction time will be faster and you will be able to use your natural strength more effectively. Ergo, you will be faster and stronger whilst you wear this suit. I suggest you give it a practice run before you do the job."

Nick's paws closed tightly on the backpack. "I'll go tonight and be back tomorrow night with the car."

Ms Grey nodded. "Good. Now, go."

Nick turned and walked to the doors, where he turned. "Ms Grey?"

"A question," she replied, unenthusiastically. "Please make it a good one."

"If not for personal profit, then why?" he asked, and held his breath, realising he might have been stupid. You did not question a boss's motives, ever. At least not to their faces. You already knew the answer - it was either money or some kind of madness, like vengeance for an insult. But something about Ms Grey told him she was interested in something much, much different.

In the moonlight, he saw her head cock to one side.

"I've never in my life had trouble with foxes," she said. "Don't let it start now."

"I beg your pardon, Ms Grey."

"I think the betterment of Catilatown is a good enough motive, don't you?" she asked, her question curling coldly at the end.

A chill ascended up his back.

"Yes, Ma'am, I do. Uh...good night, Ms Grey."

He escaped the room, and the wolves escorted him to the exit. Once outside, he walked away, in the opposite direction to Silvy's van. He slid into his car and drove to the train station. He couldn't wait to reach it, get on a train and put some distance between himself and that creepy cat with her voice and her mask.

Once parked, he texted Judy.

Nick: What's the bet this suit has a power core?

Judy: We are celebrating here! Mystery solved! Seriously, Silvy has a party popper.

Nick: Partly solved. Maybe. I haven't had a good look at the suit yet.

Judy: I'll ask Bogo to send an engineer to you tomorrow.

Nick: What will you do tomorrow?

Judy: Go see the Mayor re arrest.

 **Thank you to the people who left a review! Also, we've reached over 500 views! WOO-HOO! Thank you everybody!**


	11. Chapter 11 - Nicks Fancy Suit

**SORRY FOR THE WAIT! I got caught up in stuff and forgot, so sorry! Onward with the chapter! (Do I end every sentence with a exclamation mark?! See? I did it again! No!)**

Nick watched the passing fields as he stared through the train window. He was not looking forward to tomorrow. At Judy's request, Mr Big had granted him an audience at nine in the morning. He was uneasy about meeting Mr Big without Judy present. The old shrew liked to put on a show of being expansive and benign for Judy. He would never forget that he owed his daughter's life to her.

Nick's only protection these days was his uniform, and he didn't dare wear it in case Ms Grey was having him followed. His casual shirts would no longer do, as it would remind Mr Big of the old days and Nick's mistake with the skunk rug.

It would have to be a business suit.

He slept with his head against the window. When he awoke, it was night and the train was slowing down. He was back in Zootopia.

Nick took down his backpack from the overhead storage and made his way on to the platform, and from there to a taxi. The trip to his apartment was a short distance, and once home, he emptied the pack on to his bed and looked at the contents.

Upon close examination, he saw that the suit that Ms Grey gave him was made of a tough mesh material, covered in metallic platelets. It was designed to cover its wearer from the neck to the lower legs, and had a little stretch, which gave some allowance for size, species and comfort. He turned it over, looking for the point where the battery was fitted. He found it in the belt.

He slid back the cover of the battery housing and looked at the glowing cylinder within. This was new technology, and much had been made of it in rodent car advertising and in mainstream media when it had hit the market the previous year. The larger car manufacturers were still waiting on the battery manufacturers to figure out how to make a viable and cost-effective power core for larger, heavier vehicles. This little thing could power a rodent vehicle, driven on average miles, for nearly a week, and was easily recharged at home.

The company who sold the longest-lasting and best quality power cores was Druthers. Others had copied the technology, but although they had a cheaper product, the car manufacturers wouldn't use them. Druthers power cores were very, very expensive, but they stood behind their product and the consumers trusted them.

He closed the battery cover and looked at the mask, which had a stylised cat face on it. He texted Judy to confirm that the suit did indeed contain a Druthers power core, then he stripped down to his shorts and t-shirt and tried on the suit.

It fit, and was fairly comfortable. On a smaller animal, like a cat, it would have covered the legs down to the ankles, but on him, it came to mid-calf. He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror and grinned.

"Kind of cool," he muttered, and held in the button on the battery case until a green light flicked on in a tiny window. He felt a delightful jolt of instant energy.

"Woah!"

Carefully, he moved his paw and waved at himself in the mirror. It felt...somewhat easier to do. He swung both his arms, and twisted his body from side to side. He jogged on the spot. He did a couple of star-jumps, and then some more, exhalting in the energy and ease of his movements, until he reached a count of fifty. And then, he tried something he'd seen a martial arts master do. He leapt off the floor, turning in a half-somersault to touch his feet to the ceiling before flipping back to land on the carpet. He was breathing only slightly harder, and his muscles felt no fatigue. And it was all...so easy!

Just remember, he thought suddenly, that you shot Ms Grey in the neck that night, and she was wearing her armour. You got lucky. Someone else could get lucky. The suit doesn't make you invincible.

But it felt like it.

He had a brilliant idea. Of course! He would wear this suit of armour tomorrow, under his business suit, when he went to see Mr Big! It would give him more confidence, anyway.

Nick took off the suit and hung it up before climbing into bed. In spite of his earlier sleep on the train, he was too tired to worry more about the case, or Mr Big. He went to sleep with the happy thought of the suit hanging up in his closet.

Nick stood on the removable plank of wood as he waited for Mr Big to make his dramatic entrance. He could feel the coldness under his feet. He kept telling himself that it would be fine, but it had also occurred to him that the armour under his business suit wouldn't protect him from drowning.

He was beginning to realise that as awesome as the armour was, there were a lot of things it wouldn't protect him from, such as fire, water, getting shot or hit in the neck, head, or below the knee, being pushed off a cliff, crushed by a falling piano or stung on his head by a hive of angry wasps...

It was a relief when the door opened and his mind took a break from rehearsing cartoonish fates. Three polar bears entered the room in order from smallest to largest. The last one set Mr Big and his desk chair down on the table and slowly swivelled him around.

"Nicky, how are you?" Mr Big asked as Nick stepped forward and kissed his ring. "Judy is not with you, I see. I hope nothing untoward has occurred to the godmother of my grandchild."

"I'm very well, sir, and so is Judy. She remains in Catilatown, for now." Nick thought getting the good news in as soon as possible would help to set the tone for the rest of the meeting. He had heard the warning tone in Mr Big's voice and at the moment, this could go either way. "We made good progress yesterday."

The shrew's eyes narrowed in an anticipatory smile and his waved his tiny, beringed hand in commandment. "Ah. Good. Tell me. Tell me...everything."

Nick did, starting with the bugged Cornucopia and Judy's meeting with the Mayor, and finishing with his encounter with Ms Grey, although he did not mention Silvy's part in it. He was given the courtesy of complete silence as he spoke. He noticed that the polar bears listened as intently as Mr Big. The smallest stood with his mouth open, like a little cub listening to a bedtime story.

"So, Judy asked me to come here to request a rodent car fitted with the Druthers power core," he finished. "Keeping in mind that you might not see it again."

Nick tried not to hold his breath during the ongoing silence. Even the polar bears had taken their eyes off him to look down at Mr Big.

Mr Big began to smile. "At last, Judy makes a request of me. It sits hard with me that I can never do anything for her. Until now. Do you know that feeling, Nicky, the pain of a debt you can never repay?"

All eyes swung to Nick, whose heart started to pound. He was suddenly and brutally aware, more than ever, of his history with Mr Big.

"Yes, sir."

"You showed courage by confronting this cat, this...Ms Grey."

"Thank you, Mr Big."

He knew very well that Mr Big wouldn't be impressed at all if he had seen Nick kowtowing to that mad cat, but he hadn't gone into those kinds of details when he'd described the conversation he'd had with her.

"And you will do so again, this evening. This will be very dangerous. She has more to lose than we understand right now."

"Yes, sir. We have a plan."

Mr Big nodded. "Of course you do. And I tell you this, Nick. Succeed and apprehend this cat, bring her within my domain, and this will go a long way towards alleviating your debt to me."

Nick bowed his head, and bit his lip, saying nothing.

"As to Judy's request, it will be done," Mr Big said. "I set her the task, so of course, I will give her the car."

He waved his hand at the largest bear, who lumbered out of the room. Nick frowned.

"Mr Big -"

"And now, while we wait, we shall have coffee and cake, made by Fru Fru's own hands," Mr Big said. "You will tell me everything you know about this sickness in Catilatown."

"First, Sir, I would like to clear the air about something." Nick was aware that his heart was hammering away under the armour. He realised now that the stupid armour that wouldn't do him any good if Mr Big reacted the way Nick feared he would.

Mr Big raised an eyebrow. "Indeed?"

"Yes. What I have to say is...personal," he said, nodding at the remaining two polar bears.

Mr Big smiled, and it wasn't a nice smile.

"My boys stay where they are, Nicky. For my protection as well as their education. Education is important, and my boys are learning new things all the time. You understand."

Nick knew that if he challenged the old shrew's authority, it would be better not to do so in front of witnesses. That way, he would be more likely to walk out alive. But it was far, far too late to back out now. He felt a mad, exhilarating rush of recklessness, and spoke.

"Officer Hopps has become a member of your family, and that is something she values," he began, and barely registered the shrew's gratified nod. "But she is, first and foremost, an officer of the law, as am I. We don't work for you, Sir. Our "boss" is Chief Bogo, of the Zootopia Police Department."

Mr Big didn't move. His slitty eyes stared coldly at Nick, who took in a gasp of frigid air before continuing. "This case is a police matter. We're not handing anyone over to you. We appreciate your help, Sir, and it will be noted in our reports -" he inwardly winced at that. What was Chief Bogo going to say? - "but whatever you think you will gain from assisting us, it will not include special privileges such as police officers working solely for your benefit, or access to a suspect in police custody."

The smallest polar bear growled and lumbered forward, and oh, oh, oh, he was gonna die.

"Kevin," Mr Big said, and the bear stopped and swung his head to look at him questioningly. Mr Big gestured, and the bear went back to his place, trying to hide his confusion.

"What we have here," Mr Big said, "is an educational opportunity."

The bears were going to further their education by finding out what a fox looked like with his legs pulled off. Nick wanted to howl for mercy already, but...something in him wouldn't do it. He stood, his soon-to-be-ripped-off legs shaking slightly, but his spine fortified by pride. He had spoken his truth, and whatever happened now, would happen.

"Nick," Mr Big said. "We have a long history, do we not?"

"Yes, Sir."

"And we have come to know one another...to a degree."

"We have, Sir."

"So when I see you like this, when you speak to me this way...I am shocked. Shocked, that you would do such a thing."

Nick said nothing, but he thought sadly of his mother in that moment. He'd do anything to be playing cards with her right now, and eating a cake she'd baked just for him.

Kevin, the polar bear, looked from Mr Big to Nick and back again.

"Boys," Mr Big said, and both the bears took one step forward.

"Look at this fox. Look at what he has just done. Would you have expected it of him?"

"No, Sir," they said. Kevin's lip began to lift in an anticipatory snarl. The other bear, who seemed older, remained impassive as he stared at Nick.

"And here is the lesson," Mr Big said. "In courage."

Nick blinked several times. So did the bears, although they soon realised they were doing it and stopped.

"This fox is not what he once was. He once had nothing, nothing but his wit and nerve, and a heart hardened by disappointment. Now he has found...something else. And he fights for it. Think on this, boys, it is important."

Mr Big stared at Nick again, and Nick thought he was being tricked, until he saw the changed look in the shrew's eyes.

"We have a new understanding, Nicky," Mr Big said softly. "Or, should I say...Officer Wilde."

Nick didn't know what else to do but incline his head, and he wondered, now that he might not die, if he might faint instead.

The door opened and the third polar bear returned with a shiny red rodent car in one paw and a coffee tray in the other. At Mr Big's nod, he set the tray down and brought the car over to Nick. The bear seemed to notice the strange atmosphere in the room; he peered closely at Nick as he helped him put the car into Nick's backpack and when he took his place by the wall, his eyes darted about from face to face. He'd get the story from the other bears later, Nick guessed.

"Now, if it doesn't violate your principles," Mr Big said, a little dryly. "Would you have coffee with me, Officer Wilde, and of course, partake in my daughter's cake? We can discuss this disturbing illness suffered by my contemporaries in Catilatown. Tell me as much you feel free to discuss. Kevin - a chair for Officer Wilde."

Nick nodded his thanks to Kevin as the polar bear carried over a chair and arranged it just so, making sure it was placed close enough to Mr Big so that the shrew could see him clearly, and yet not too close. "The symptoms are a purple muzzle, fever, fainting and nausea. So far, it seems that it's mostly the bosses - I mean, the businessmen, and their top employees, getting sick," he said. "A few others, at first, but it seems obvious now that they're being targeted."

"Interesting. Who is sick so far?" Mr Big asked. Kevin handed Mr Big a coffee and a slice of pink-frosted cake, which Mr Big balanced on the armrest of his chair. He blew on his coffee and watched Nick over the rim of the cup.

"Captain George, Sasha, Hammerhead, Tiger, and Charles the Fence, sir." Nick replied, as he accepted his coffee and cake. "I was present when Captain George went down, at a restaurant."

"Hmm," Mr Big said. "Did you notice anything odd in the behaviour of anyone who was there? His companions, perhaps?"

"Nick frowned. "They seemed very protective; overly protective, I would say. One of them drew his gun and wouldn't let the waiting staff near the Captain at first. He didn't know what to do with himself afterwards."

Mr Big shook his head. "What about the staff?"

"They were all concerned; they called the ambulance straight away and administered first aid as best they could, after his wolf finally let them."

"I wonder what they were doing just beforehand. Not to worry. Did anyone leave the restaurant within five or ten minutes before, or after, he collapsed?"

"No," Nick said. "Lunchtime was just beginning. The only person who left after he collapsed was his girlfriend. She didn't go with him in the ambulance."

Mr Big's expression turned triumphant. "And where is she now?"

"I have no idea. Presumably, by his side in the hospital."

"I doubt it," Mr Big said. "I suspect the lady has disappeared. If you do find her, I suggest you question her...being open to the possibility that she was complicit in this attack."

Nick stared at him with his mouth open. Mr Big chuckled and looked smug.

"Ah, Nicky," he said. "I have enjoyed your visit very much. I must go, but I wish you all the best - and please, if I may assist further, I will do so gratis. You understand? No obligation. Judy is family, and you have impressed me today. I am pleased with you both. Goodbye, Officer Wilde."

Nick stood up and, to his surprise, instead of presenting Nick with the oft-kissed ring, Mr Big held out his claws to shake. Nick bent and shook them carefully, mesmerised by the shrew's intense gaze, which seemed to be trying to bore through his head and read all his thoughts.

He turned to go. Mr Big called to him as he reached the door.

"Nicky," he rasped. "Officer Wilde. What caused this change in you?"

Nick turned and looked back at him. He felt good. He'd not been looking forward to this meeting, but he had gotten away with a lot by defying Mr Big to his face. He thought about the question, though, and smiled.

"Ah," Mr Big said. "Of course. Look after her, Officer Wilde."

 **Please leave a review below! It would make my day, really. I probably won't upload for a few days.. Since Christmas and stuff, so see ya later!**


	12. Chapter 12 - Lettuce Talk

**This is a pretty short chapter, sorry about that. But for all those who like the gerbil, here you go! (Please read AU at the end)**

Judy scheduled an emergency meeting with the Mayor, through Mrs Loy. She wasn't looking forward to it. She dropped Silvy off at her brother's house, knowing that the cat had plans to get her paws on weapons that would be considered illegal in Zootopia. Judy found herself half-wishing that Silvy would come with her, to hit the Mayor with a chair if he needed it.

Judy entered the lobby and saw the familiar high-seated chairs, filled with the usual variety of citizens awaiting their turn to see a representative of the council offices. Mrs Loy was standing by the elevators and nodded to Judy as soon as she saw her. Judy walked over to her, smiling in genuine pleasure.

"Delightful to see you again, Officer Hopps," Mrs Loy said. "The Mayor has sent me to escort you. But oh, look. Someone has followed you in."

Judy followed her gaze to the front doors. Standing just inside them with a camera around his neck stood the determined-looking gerbil.

Judy looked sideways at Mrs Loy, who said, "Perhaps you wish to say "hello", before we go up."

Light dawned.

Ah, Mrs Loy, you are amazing, Judy thought, as she bounded over to the gerbil.

"Hello, Sir!" she said, and stuck out her paw. "I'm Officer Judy Hopps."

"I know. Maximilian Round," the gerbil returned. "I write for the political paper, "Lettuce Talk". D'yer read it?"

"Can't say that I do," Judy said. "I don't think we get that paper in Zootopia."

The gerbil shrugged. "We're an underground newspaper, for obvious reasons. The Mayor's been trying to shut me down for years and I've been trying to get him booted from office for years. It's one of those hate-hate relationships. How is the car-theft case progressing?"

"We're at a delicate stage right now, Mr Round..."

"Which means you got nothing. Damn, I need a story. I got a tip and that's why I'm here."

Judy laughed. "No, Mr Round, it means we've made progress but to tell you anything now would endanger the case. But...listen, if you do me a favour now, I'll give you an exclusive when it's done."

The gerbil's habitually strong-willed expression softened into surprise. "Yeah? Whaddaya want?"

She told him, and he laughed. "That's two favours you'll be doing me, and you know it! Ha, ha-ha-ha..."

He continued belly-laughing for a few moments, and then nodded to Mrs Loy. "You're all right, Officer Hopps. So is Mrs Loy. I thought the voice on the other end of the phone was familiar. Let's do it, then. And hey, call me Max."

The Mayor didn't look up as Mrs Loy announced Judy and ushered her in, leaving the door ajar as she left them alone. He was writing, or pretending to, on a piece of paper as she crossed the floor and made herself comfortable on the chair opposite his desk. He ignored her. Judy waited a few more moments and then cleared her throat.

"Mr Mayor-"

"A moment," he murmured, and scribbled.

Judy surreptitiously tried to read his writing upside-down, and then thought about the chair she was sitting in, and how satisfying it would be to feel it connect with that stupid fat head...

"Ah, Officer Hopps! How nice to see you. What can I do for you today?"

Judy pushed away her fury. "I want to make an arrest, Sir."

The Mayor smiled. "Well, well. That was fast. How could you possibly have investigated and found the culprit in such a short time?"

"Because I know my job, Sir."

The Mayor was unfazed by the rebuke in her tone. "Be that as it may...who is it?"

"A dark silver cat calling herself Ms Grey."

The Mayor frowned as he thought. "I don't know anyone called Ms Grey."

"Great!" Judy said. "So you will have no problem signing the arrest warrant and extradition order."

"Extradition order? You mean, you want to take the suspect back to Zootopia for trial?" The Mayor blinked at her in feigned confusion. "Oh no, no, that wouldn't do. I couldn't do that to a citizen of Catilatown! Goodness me, no. The trial must be held here, of course, in front of a jury of Ms Grey's peers."

"The crime was committed in Zootopia," Judy reminded him. "And Chief Bogo explained the procedure on the phone, didn't he?"

"I'm sure he did, though as he's getting on a bit, some things may have slipped his mind. Anyway, there's only a few dark silver-grey cats in Catilatown, and they're all related...as well as protected. No, I'm sure you've got the wrong person. And this comes, young lady, from always being in a rush. If you slow down, you can take the time to be thorough. There!" He slapped his paws on his knees and stood up. "I've just saved us both a lot of trouble."

He meant her to leave! He was saying "No", and kicking her out, and not even Chief Bogo's name had any power. Judy turned to the door.

"Max," she called. The Mayor stood frozen as the gerbil rolled in, grinning maliciously.

"Hello, Henry! And how are you today? Wanna listen to what I just heard?" The gerbil waved a tape recorder at the Mayor. "Whew, hot stuff! Makes you look like a chump! Care to comment?"

"What do you want, Maximilian?" the Mayor growled.

"A town run on a fair voting system and recognisable and enforceable law," the gerbil replied. "But I'd be happy to just rid the town of you and your stupidity-"

"You say that every single week, and guess who's still here? While the other hides in a hole somewhere, typing up rubbish for his rag and distributing it to the uneducated masses for next to nothing?"

"Oh, darn the invention of reading and writing, eh? Who would want the masses to know the truth? Give Officer Hopps what she wants," Max said.

The Mayor was furious. He swung around on Judy. "I never thought a squeaky-clean representative of the Zootopia Police Department would pull such a dirty trick," he said, the condemnation in his voice almost convincing. "We do have procedures here. A lot of trouble can come from this - and it will land on your head as well as mine."

"Oh, stop your mewing and sign the damned orders," Max said, and for emphasis, lifted his camera and took a photo of Judy and the Mayor facing off from each other. "Or else."

"Fine. Fine. But you're banned, after this. You will never set foot in these offices-"

"I doubt that." Max shook the recorder at him. "It's still on, Doofus. And now I got me a story...if I need it."

Judy watched as the Mayor signed the papers. He thrust them at her, his eyes burning, and asked her to leave, with politeness, which was a surprise. Outside in the car park, the gerbil couldn't seem to stop grinning.

"Was it fun?" Judy couldn't resist asking.

"Ha! Best - Day - Ever! Thank you, Officer Hopps. I look forward to my exclusive...and I'll tell it like you tell me, I promise you that. I don't embellish what interviewees say. All opinion is for the editorial. The truth will be told."

She believed him; as cynical as was, he was the sort who would be scrupulously honest, even to risking his own skin. Something eased inside her. She was grateful to be shown that there were good people here, fighters who would put themselves on the front line to battle for a better world.

"It's people like you who give me faith," she said, and said goodbye to the surprised and very gratified gerbil.

 **I've got to say, that the gerbil is one of my favourite characters in this story.**

 **So.. I probably won't see you guys for a little while, because of Christmas and all that, but it shouldn't be longer then two weeks. I'm going to see some family who live out in the country, and there's a chance that I might be able to upload a chapter.. I dunno, we'll see.**

 **See ya when I see ya.**


	13. Chapter 13 - Savages and Nighthowlers

**Sorry for the wait!**

It was almost dark when Nick arrived back at Catilatown Station. Shades of orange and pink splayed across the sky as the sun slipped below the rooftops. Nick flipped up his sunglasses and took a few moments to look at the sunset before pulling out his phone and snapping a picture for his mom.

He wore his favourite outfit - his green floral shirt and khaki pants. He slung the backpack over his shoulder and began making his way off the platform.

"Good trip?" a voice asked. He looked around and saw Silvy sitting on a bench, one leg over the other, her attention on her phone as she texted.

"Don't look at me," he muttered, taking his sunglasses off and putting them into his pocket. "The suit has a tracking device. They know where I am and might have someone planted here to see what I do."

"Gotcha," Silvy said, putting her phone up to her ear. "Judy was successful. Were you?"

"Yep."

"Judy and I will see you there."

He strutted on by her, whistling.

The engineers who had agreed to meet him at a warehouse were a rhinoceros and a rat who had both been fascinated by the suit and were dying to try it on, but the suit wouldn't stretch for a rhino and was just too large for the rat. They'd shown Nick the tracking device they'd found, tucked behind the power core in the battery housing.

"I don't blame them," the rhino had said. "I wouldn't want to lose this either. It's worth a mint!" His eyes gleamed behind his tiny glasses. "I think I could reverse-engineer this. Everyone would want one! We'd make a fortune. If it isn't already patented..."

"I bet you feel invincible, like a...like a super hero!" said the rat, looking up at Nick for confirmation.

"Not invincible," he'd told them, thinking of his visit to Mr Big. "Just more able, less tired. And yes, stronger and faster."

They didn't want him to leave - or rather, they didn't want him to take the suit away, and their protestations and delaying tactics almost made him late for the return train to Catilatown.

He found his car, grabbed some takeaway to kill some time, and then drove to the warehouse.

As Nick approached the warehouse door, he resisted looking into the shadows by the bins belonging to the neighbouring building. Silvy would be hiding there and Judy had positioned herself close by.

He wore the suit underneath his clothes. The backpack containing the car was slung across his shoulder. In a side pocket of the backpack was a little surprise for Ms Grey.

He nodded to the two wolves, neither of which he had seen before. Both were greys, and one had a fine black stripe from the top of his head down to the nape of his neck. It couldn't possibly be natural. Something tickled the back of Nick's mind.

"Did you get it?" the other wolf said. He had a silver wolf-skull ring on his finger.

"Yup."

"Let's see it."

Nick raised an eyebrow but pulled out the rodent car from the bag and held it out to them. The grey wolf grabbed it from Nick's paws and inspected it closely, even going so far as to release the bonnet so that he could check the power core was there.

The wolf set it back in Nick's paws, and Nick set the bag on the ground so he could put the car back into it. Black-Stripe made an impatient noise.

"I can go in?" Nick asked as he fiddled with the bag, unzipping the side-pocket.

"Yeah," Black-Stripe said, and opened the doors.

"Good," Nick said as he straightened, and tasered the other wolf in the chest.

The wolf lay twitching on the floor, the suit that he was wearing emitting electric flares in pretty patterns. Nick yelped as he received a kick to the stomach by Black-Stripe that sent him flying into the room. He hit the floor and for a few seconds could only think of the pain. Winded, he looked up as the wolf stepped forward with a gun in his paws.

Black-Stripe began to aim the gun at Nick, who stared at the sleek weapon in fascination.

The wolf's eyes and mouth went wide and he crumpled, his body engulfed in beautiful waves of light. Silvy stood with one paw on her hip and the other holding a taser.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

He sucked in a thin stream of air, and then another. "Y-Yeah.. "

"Here." She held out a paw for him and he took it, rising to his feet.

As he stood, hunched over with his paw grasping his stomach, Judy came in with her tranquilliser raised.

"You guys okay?" she asked. "How did the suit go in combat?"

"He wasn't ready and got kicked in the breadbasket," Silvy told her.

Nick took a gloriously deep breath and was so glad that he could. "Thank you for that, Silvy," he said stiffly. "The suit saved me from a worse injury than I actually got. Listen, I've realised something. Ms Grey isn't grey."

Silvy looked at him sharply. "What's that? What do you mean?"

"I remembered that odour. It's coloured hair spray, the kind they use at cub's parties. Ms Grey stank of it. So does that clown." He pointed to Black-Stripe. "It also disguises personal scent, to a degree. Not his scent, obviously. I don't think anything would cover his stench, but - Silvy? What's wrong?"

Silvy had gone very still.

"It makes some sense," she said slowly. "I'm the only adult cat of pure dark grey that exists, as far as I know. It goes back a long way in my line, back to royalty. Other cats who are patchy have been known to dye their fur, but...okay." She shook her head. "We'd better move. Let's go."

"This way." Nick pointed and they started a slow jog to the office, Silvy limping slightly. Judy bounded lightly alongside them. Silvy's running pace was his jogging pace, and it was clear she couldn't go much faster. Nick wondered how Silvy would do with a suit. The cat sure had fast reflexes. She was fearless, clever, resourceful and had been reliable so far. It was dawning on him that Chief Bogo had reason to think well of her. What a cop she must have been!

Except for the obvious downside of her being nuts. Chief Bogo knew that, too.

They ran down the dusty hallway and stopped at the large metal doors.

Judy gave a three-digit signal, then a two, then a one, then burst open the left-hand door with one almighty kick. She rolled into the room and came upright, her tranq gun held in both paws.

Nick jumped in and stepped to Judy's right with his taser in his paw, glaring at the cat in the middle of the room. Silvy stepped to the left with her stun gun. Nick thought smugly that at least this part of it had gone well; although unintentional, their stances would make an awesome movie cover.

Ms Grey's eyes went wide behind her mask as she stared at the trio from her couch. She stood slowly and glared at them, her gaze going from one to the next before settling on Silvy.

"Ms Grey, you are under arrest, by authority of the Catilatown Mayor," Judy stated. "Put your paws on your head and lie on the-"

"Oh, I think not," Ms Grey said, and raised a gun.

She took aim at Nick's head. Judy pulled the trigger on her tranquilliser. The dart struck the cat's shoulder and fell harmlessly to the floor. Ms Grey was definitely wearing a suit underneath her clothes.

Ms Grey pulled the trigger. Nick dove to the side, knowing he wasn't going to make it, and then realised he hadn't taken the suit into account. He hit the floor so hard, he slid. There was a blur, and in the poor light, a body fell in front of him. Something moved across the room very fast, and then a door slammed.

"Did we get her?" he gasped.

"No," Silvy's voice answered, sounding pained. "She's getting away. Judy, go!"

"Nick?" Judy said.

"I'm okay, Judy. Go."

He heard Judy bound away, and looked over to where Silvy lay on the floor, curled around her stomach.

Nick knelt by the cat and put a hand on her shoulder. "Silvy?"

The cat remained hunched around her injury until Nick convinced her to let him see. The cat slowly rolled over and Nick saw a small dart protruding from her stomach.

"Oh," said Silvy, looking down at it. "I thought it was a bullet. Thank god for that!"

She pulled the dart out and dropped it by his knee. Nick picked it up and sniffed it. At first the smell was strange, and then was suddenly, horribly familiar.

The Nighthowler drug.

And he had no handcuffs.

Nick looked desperately around the sparseness of the room. No ropes, not even curtains. Nothing he could tie her up with.

Silvy began to rise. "I'm okay," she told him. "Though I wouldn't be surprised if I've been hit with a knockout drug. Funny, though, I feel..."

She frowned and opened her mouth as if to say something else. Nick was very aware of the taser in his paw. He raised it and pointed it at her. Silvy's eyes widened as she stared at it, and then him.

"What...wha..."

He saw her eyes change. All the humour and mischief drained out out of them and a murderous hostility arose instead, making her into a creature that was not Silvy. She hissed at him. Quicker than he would have thought possible, she swiped the taser out of his paws and flew at him with her teeth exposed, her claws extended to grasp and tear.

Nick skittered backwards and managed to dodge her first assault, but she was soon launching another as soon as she landed, spinning on the spot and springing straight at him again. He couldn't get out of the way this time. She landed on his torso and bit into his shoulder while her hind claws scrabbled at his stomach in an attempt to disembowel him.

He felt the weight of the cat on his chest, but as to her deadly attack...he felt nothing.

The armour! The intent of the suit's maker had been to prevent bullets from penetrating the body; of course, the chainmail-type mesh would prevent knives and claws from penetrating it, too.

The cat continued her attempt to kill him, gnawing away at his shoulder. He became aware that it was time to use his brain.

Okay, his taser had spun off into the room and he couldn't spot it. He suspected it must have ended up under the couch. But Silvy's taser was right where she left it, in the spot where she fell after getting shot.

He let the cat chew at his shoulder as he edged closer to the weapon. Her front paws gripped at the suit through his shirt while her hind legs continued churning against his belly.

"Oh, you won't know where to put your face tomorrow," he murmured to her. "You are going to be SO embarrassed in the morning."

He bent, slowly, and felt the cat freeze. It finally seemed to penetrate her maddened brain that her attack wasn't having the desired effect. With a yowl, she sprang away from him, pushing him off balance. He fell to his side as she bounded away and, turning, came straight at his face.

Nick drew up his knees and as Silvy sprang at him, he rolled backwards and brought his feet up under her belly. He heaved, and she flew in an uncontrolled arc towards the wall. He winced as he heard the thump and grabbed up the taser.

"Sorry, Silvy," he said, and took careful aim as Silvy climbed to her feet. He pulled the trigger.

The electrodes did their job and Silvy flopped about on the floor. Nick slowed his breathing as he watched. He had a feeling this wouldn't hold her down for long.

There was a sound at the door and Nick looked up. Black-Stripe leaned in the doorway.

"You're dead meat," the wolf snarled. "Where's Ms Grey?"

"Gone," Nick said, and tasered him.

The other wolf might be up and about, too. Nick looked around desperately, and startled as a noise outside the door indicated someone moving around in the outer room.

The taser only had two charges, both now used, so it would do more damage if he simply threw it at an attacker. He pointed it at the doorway anyway. Maybe a bluff would work.

Judy stepped in, looking dejected.

"She got away," she said, and looked down at the groaning wolf at her feet. "I came around the front door again and tranqed the other wolf...how's Silvy?"

"For God's sake, tranq her!" he gasped, and moved aside so Judy could see the stirring cat, who was even now yanking at the electrodes and glaring at him. "Nighthowler!"

Judy's eyes went wide. She came forward, aimed, and fired, and within half a minute, the cat's eyes crossed and she was asleep.

They stood, looking down at her.

"She is going to be SO embarrassed in the morning," Judy said, and Nick began to laugh.

 **See ya next chapter!**


	14. Chapter 14 - I'm Gonna Be Sick

**I'm so sorry for being so late! I've been working on some other stories, but I'm not giving up on this one.**

Nick and Judy sat in comfortable chairs in a small hospital room. The room itself was uninspiring, with its cream coloured walls and white floor. Natural light filtered through the gauzy curtains covering the large window on one side of the room. In the middle of the room, Silvy slept in a hospital bed, covered by a blue blanket to her armpits.

The door burst open and Chief Bogo stomped into the room, looking like a thundercloud with horns. His hooves thumped very deliberately until he had carried himself over to where Nick and Judy sat in shock, their mouths open as they stared like frightened children caught in the act. Judy attempted to stand on suddenly weakened legs and fell back into her seat.

"Explain," was all he said.

They explained. The Chief's expression didn't change. Once their explanations petered out, they sat miserably, waiting in silence and unable to look the Chief in the eye.

"Why," began the Chief, "would you be so STUPID as to ALLOW yourselves be bamboozled by a cat? She is NOT on active duty. She is NOT an officer of the law. She is NOT entitled to know the inner workings or progress of a case."

"She was once a cop; she knew not to endanger the case by discussing it with outsiders," Nick began.

"Oh really? WHO DOES SHE ANSWER TO?" Bogo roared. "I'm really, REALLY tempted to make you two resit your exams! You should have sent her away immediately."

"We needed a third paw sir, and the CPD here are...not up to it." Judy said, her ears drooping."

"What do you mean, 'not up to it?' WHAT D'YOU MEAN, EH? The Mayor promised me full co-operation!"

"They're corrupt, lazy and nasty, sir. One of them tried to sabotage our operation."

"Really," said the chief flatly. It was not a question. His eyes narrowed as he stared grimly into the distance. "It seems I'll have to pay them a visit and explain a few things, after I'm done with you here."

The door burst open. A massive figure stood framed in the doorway in a hospital Matron's uniform, snorting heavily. A watch ticked on its enormous chest and its horns were polished to a silky smoothness. Its muzzle was carefully painted with bright red lipstick.

"WHO IS SHOUTING IN MY HOSPITAL?" a female voice boomed in a strange, operatic song. "HOW DARE YOU DISTURB MY PATI-ENTS? THIS IS A PLACE OF HEALING, NOT A POLICE BAAARRACKS!"

Suddenly, Chief Bogo didn't seem so large anymore. The bison cow loomed nearly as tall as he. She strode into the room and marched up to the chief until she was standing nose to nose with him.

Nick slipped off his chair in shock and made an unconscious attempt to hide under it before getting a hold on himself. Judy pulled her legs up into her chair and clung to the armrests.

The Chief blinked rapidly and tried to recover. "I'm- I apologise, Ma'am." He said in a rumble that was, for him, very gentle. "I didn't mean to disturb you or your patients. This was a disciplinary matter-"

"DO I CAAARE? I DO NOT! My priorities are my PAT-IENTS! If you have a PROBLEMMM with your UNDERLINNNGS, then please take it out onto the street!" The Matron's voice became staccato. "On the street! With the trash! And the other things! That are not IMPORRRTANNT! We save lives in this building and these people do not need to be UPSET by UNCOUTH BEHAVIOUUUR!"

"We, too, save lives, Ma'am." The Chief smiled at her gently. "We're the Zootopia Police."

It didn't work.

"Then go and shout in ZOOTOPIAAAA! Out! Get OUT! Remove yourself from this place of healing and DO NOT return until you have learned to be QUI-ETT and RESPECTFUULL!"

She stomped her hoof at him, a true danger sign.

The Chief had lost and he knew it. He bowed his head to her, prompting a disdainful snort in return. He looked at Nick and Judy with gritted teeth, silently telling them that this wasn't over. It was strange, but Judy wasn't as afraid of his temper now that she had seen the Matron's performance. The Matron followed him out.

Nick and Judy stared at each other. Then they heard a noise from the bed.

Silvy was awake.

The bedclothes twitched and shook. Nick and Judy raced forward, Judy preparing to shoot with the tranquilliser, wondering what the drug would do to Silvy if added to the cocktail of other foreign substances swirling around the cat's bloodstream. Judy saw the cat's eyes, slitted in amusement and sighed as she holstered the tranq gun.

"Silvy!"

"D-Did the chief just get yelled at for yelling?" Silvy said, and went off into more gusts of laughter.

"How long have you been awake?" Judy asked.

"Long enough!"

Nick brought his chair over and sat closer to the bed. It took some time for the cat to get over her mirth. He waited until she was a little more composed, and after she wiped her eyes with the sheet, he took her paw.

"Silvy, you're incredible, you took the hit for me- " he started.

"Get me the bucket, I'm gonna be sick," she told him.

"No, Silvy, this has to be said," he said. "Please, be serious for just a second- "

"No, I'm actually going to be sick."

Silvy turned away quickly with her paw over her mouth and started to heave. Judy picked up a vomit bag from the top of the bedhead and hurriedly gave it to the cat. Silvy immediately bent over and threw up in it.

Once she was done, she wiped her mouth and looked up.

"Bleh." The cat said. Nick poured a glass of water from the jug and passed it to her. She thanked him and drank down half the glass.

"Nick, call the nurse." Judy said.

"Why me?"

"Because you're closer to the call button."

"Oh, the call button." Nick pressed found the button and pressed it. "Now, where do we hide?"

Silvy laughed into the bag.

Moments later, the Matron entered the room and checked on Silvy's vitals.

"So...I'll just check out in a few hours then?" Silvy asked.

"Oh, GOODNESS no!" the nurse boomed, causing Silvy to wince slightly. "You will stay here for a few more days, Miss Claws."

Silvy didn't seem fazed.

"Alright, I guess."

Nick watched her as she looked up at the Matron with a trusting expression.

"I suspect you are having a SLIGHT allergic reaction to the Nighthowler antiserummm," the Matron told her. "It will pass, but we will still need to keep an eye on youuu! Officers! You have five minutes and not ONE SECONND more. This cat needs her REST." The Matron checked her watch. "I will be back to check so DO NOT TEST MY RESOLVE!"

After the bison left the room, Silvy pulled out her phone and started tapping.

"What are you doing?" Nick asked.

"Texting Paddy."

"Why, exactly?"

Silvy gave him a flat look. "Because he's my brother."

"Okay," Nick said, and glanced at Judy, who nodded

"Silvy," Judy said. "Have you anything to tell us?"

Silvy looked up from her texting. "Yep. Ms Grey is my sister. Misty is her name."

She went back to her texting as if she had said nothing extraordinary.

Nick and Judy stared.

"Anything else?"

"Hmm," Silvy murmured. "She's nuts. And she's not really grey, of course. She's milky-white. She uses grey hairspray to disguise herself as me because she hates me. Hates Paddy, too. Our mother died giving birth to us, after all. What self-respecting maniac wouldn't hate us for that?"

"Did you know?" Nick asked quietly. Something in his voice made her look up.

"No," she said quietly. "I didn't. I suspected someone was trying to set me up, but I had no idea whom it might be. Especially not her. I thought she was too busy showing off, being a hot-shot doctor."

Hooves thumped heavily towards them from the corridor. Nick and Judy crashed into each other in their attempt to escape the room before the Matron came back. They whispered a goodbye to Silvy and hurried for the doorway.

They didn't quite make it.

 **Sorry again for the wait,**

 **See ya next chapter!**


	15. Chapter 15 - I Left A Note

**Here's chapter 15!**

Nick and Judy parked their rented vehicle in the hospital parking lot. It was afternoon visiting hours of the same day. Nick was in casual clothes, while Judy was in her freshly-pressed uniform.

As they climbed out, Judy spotted the familiar bulk of Chief Bogo heading towards the hospital's main entrance.

"Hey, there's the Chief!" she yelled. "Chief Bogo!"

"Judy, wait! Do you really want to do this now, or maybe...maybe we should wait until he leaves?"

Judy sagged slightly, considering. It was always better to rip off an adhesive bandage all in one go, wasn't it? They might as well get it over with quickly.

"Well," she said. "We need to ask Silvy more questions about her sister. And...we can't leave her alone with Chief Bogo. We'd better give her a paw."

"Don't worry, he won't dare yell at her."

"Nick."

"Okay, okay!"

They hurried up to the Chief, who was waiting for them at the entrance holding a huge bouquet of flowers.

"Uh, hi, Chief. Are those for Silvy?" Nick asked, nodding at the flowers.

"Eh... no." said the chief. He shifted uncomfortably inside his shirt. "What are you two doing here?"

"We need more information from Silvy."

"Don't bother. I've decided you're off the case," the Chief said. "I'm bringing in a team to take this cat down. They won't be here for another two days, though. We're short-handed because this...disease with the purple mouth has spread to Zootopia. Little Rodentia is under quarantine. Go on, go back to Zootopia." He turned his back on their stunned expressions and stomped away.

Nick and Judy stood in silence. Judy's shoulders slumped.

"Had we failed so badly?" she asked.

"I thought we were doing pretty good," Nick said. "Hey," he added. Judy looked up to follow his gaze and saw someone running across the car park. "That's Silvy!"

They called to her and she startled, actually giving a little jump into the air in fright. They jogged over to her. She was visibly relieved when she saw it was them. She adopted a casual stance, putting her paws in her pockets and presenting them with a cheeky grin.

"Hey guys!"

"Silvy, what are you doing here?" Judy asked. "How did you get out of your room?"

"Jumped out of the window. How do you think?"

"You were on the second floor!" Nick said, his voice raised in surprise.

"Cats always land on their feet!" Silvy said, with a shrug.

"Not always. That's a myth," he told her.

"I shall bow to your superior knowledge of feline physiology."

"You really should go back, Silvy."

"I'm not going back! Did you see that nurse? She should play the lead villain in a horror movie," Silvy said, and the officers smiled. "Besides, I left a note so they won't panic."

A white van moved slowly down their lane. Judy gently grasped Silvy's arm and moved them both out of the way.

"You could have a relapse," she said. "Silvy, there's no way all the Nighthowler drug has left your system yet. And your body is rejecting the antidote. It isn't safe, not for you or the people around you."

"You just made that up," Silvy snorted. "No-one's ever had a relapse. Once you're back, you're back."

Judy looked helplessly at Nick, who spread his paws in resignation.

"We have some more questions about your sister," Judy said.

"Judy, what's the point now?" Nick asked.

Silvy looked from Nick to Judy. "What does he mean? What do you mean?" she asked. The van stopped between them, blocking Judy and Silvy's view of him.

"Rude," muttered Silvy, and began to walk around the van to confront Nick. "What-"

The van's door slid open. Judy stepped back as a wolf jumped out. She did not expect what happened next. He lunged at her and wrapped his arms around her, lifting her off her feet. Before she could give him a good backwards kick in the vitals, he threw her into the van and someone covered her mouth and nose with a strange-smelling cloth. Judy fought not to breathe as she struggled, kicking at everything and everyone within reach. She knew she connected hard a few times. There seemed to be a lot of targets. Where was Nick?

The exertion was costing her oxygen, and she felt she must breathe or die. She stopped struggling, but they kept the cloth over her face. Her eyes watered.

She vaguely became aware of a furious yowling and realised that Silvy was being attacked. The cat would give them a run for their money, maybe even get away. Where was Nick? She couldn't hear him. She couldn't see anything either, as the cloth had flopped over her eyes. She had to breathe. She gave one more, feeble kick, and tried to turn her face away, from one side to the other and back again, trying to free her mouth for just a second so that she could take in a clean lungful of air. Her brain became foggy, and her body shrieked at her to live, to take in that breath.

She gasped, and her vision went dark.

Nick threw a punch at the wolf's stomach and drew his taser. The weapon skittered out of his paw as he was tackled to the ground by second wolf, who had sneaked around the van, around the cars behind him and leapt from the hood of an SUV. He heard Silvy yowling away to his left, and before him he saw the van rocking and heard a wolf begin to yelp in pain. He realised they had Judy in there.

He felt the weight of the suit cradling his body.

There was a lot the suit could do, but it could not do everything. Nick lay on his back and watched the clenched paw of the wolf sailing towards his face, almost in slow motion. He jerked his head to the side, almost wrenching his neck, and the wolf's fist smashed into the tarmac. The wolf whined and then growled in rage, raising his fist again.

Nick growled back.

He rarely lost his temper. Foxes were known to be mean, sly, greedy and cunning - if you paid attention to the stereotyped descriptions, anyway - but they weren't known for indulging in rages. It was something that no-one really thought about, except, perhaps, for foxes. They used reason and cunning to get what they wanted, not brute force.

Nick brought up his arm and blocked the punch, then sank his teeth into his assailant's arm. He gave it all the power in his jaw, tasting blood, and only let go when the wolf screamed. He head-butted the wolf's muzzle and rolled the dazed animal off him.

The second wolf ran forward and tried to kick him in the head. Nick caught the wolf's foot and stood, watching the wolf hop around on one leg as it tried to swipe at him. He kicked the wolf in the stomach once, twice, three times, growled again in rage and pulled the wolf forward. He brought his elbow down on the wolf's leg, feeling it snap.

Two down. He heard tires scream and ran towards the van as it took off. The driver swerved a little at first and then settled into a straight rush through the carpark towards the closed toll gates. They burst through it, scattering pieces of wood everywhere.

There was no sign of either Judy or Silvy. They'd both been taken.

His gaze returned to his two assailants, and smiled nastily as he scooped up his taser.

"Boys," he said. "You are going to be so glad you dropped by! I'm going to introduce you to my boss, who is going to be tickled pink at meeting you! No, don't move."

He tasered the wolf with the broken nose, who was trying to rise to his feet while cradling his bleeding arm. The wolf fell to the ground and flopped about in a humiliating fashion.

"Do you want some, too?" he threatened the wolf with the broken leg.

"No. Don't taser me! Look...we need medical attention."

"And how fortunate you are that we happen to be right here, in the grounds of Catilatown's finest hospital! The Matron is a delightful lady who would be very interested in hearing your explanation as to why your friends smashed her toll gate to pieces. Oh, yes, you're going to meet all kinds of fun people today!"

Nick pulled out his phone and called the Chief, received a terse recorded message, and realised the Chief would have his phone turned off within the hospital. He then dialled the hospital reception, asking them to send the Chief out to meet him.

Soon enough, he saw the Chief's profile through the hospital's glass doors, and grinned evilly at the wolves. For the first time, they looked truly afraid.

Nick couldn't help it. He laughed, and it sounded like a series of angry-sounding barks. The wolf with the broken leg looked up at him worriedly. Nick laughed again. He was still furious, but this was funny.

The wolves were more afraid of his smile than his growl.

Now, wasn't that something?

 **See you next chapter! Please leave a review!**


	16. Chapter 16 - Experiments

**Hey everyone! Here's the next chapter, not too long until the end now!**

Silvy dreamed of the orphanage.

She and Paddy were ten, and they were in the garden, sitting under the branches of a massive tree. Other children sat with them, forming a circle. They all had a few UNO cards in their paws.

Paddy looked the same in this dream as he did today, but Silvy was smaller and much lighter in colour; a true silver. She was able to sit on the ground without pain.

She looked down at her cards. There were no numbers. The one on top displayed a syringe. The next showed a wolf. The third showed her sister, resplendent in a black supervillian's costume, complete with black mask, and their mother's silver necklace, that Misty would never let her touch.

This card was the most powerful and had the power to win the game; however, the act of looking at the card, even by accident, would summon its character.

"No," she said, but it was too late. A cold shadow touched the group and Silvy looked up, straight into her sister's masked face. Her eyes stared at Silvy coldly.

"It was a mistake, an accident," she said, trying to will her sister away. "You shouldn't be here."

"I shouldn't be here. You shouldn't have been born. It's because of you that we're all here. It's because of you that my mother died. You deserve to be here."

Silvy cringed and became smaller. And then her brother reached over and -

Silvy opened her eyes.

She closed them again and groaned. She had a headache; they must have used chloroform. She stayed that way for a few more moments, gathering her strength.

"Silvy," someone whispered.

She forced her eyes open again and focussed in the direction of the voice. Judy sat before her, tied to a chair. Her arms were tied behind her back and her feet were tied to the legs of the chair. Silvy looked down at herself and, unsurprisingly, found that she was in a similar predicament. She struggled and found no weaknesses in her restraints.

Judy looked at her groggily.

"Silvy...do you know where we are?" the bunny asked.

Silvy looked around them. They were in a clinical-white room, large enough to contain several long benches covered with microscopes, beakers and benchtop machinery for mysterious purposes. There was a large metal door on one side. The opposite wall was taken up with a bank of larger machinery. Some of it was humming away, lights blinking in green and red patterns.

"I don't know. It's a lab," Silvy whispered back. "My sister's lab. Great."

"What is she going to do to us?" Judy asked.

"Something crazy, probably. I'm sorry, Judy. Really sorry."

"Don't apologise for your sister, Silvy."

"I just didn't see it. I never thought she would do anything like this. I should have. It fits. She was always cold and weird. Now she's...stealing cars and dealing drugs...and making strange suits of armour...she's a doctor, for God's sake. Why would she need to do this?"

"I don't know. There's more going on here than we know, Silvy."

"I'm so sorry."

"Listen, I have hundreds of brothers and sisters. If I apologised for everything they've ever done, I'd have time for nothing else. They're responsible for themselves, just like your sister is."

The metal door opened and the room erupted into brighter light. Both animals winced and squinted as three animals enter the room. Two were wolves, and the third was Misty.

They stopped in front of Judy and Silvy. Misty folded her arms. She had abandoned her sprayed-on dark silver look for her natural milk-white coat.

"Oh, it's Ms Grey," Silvy said casually. "How're you doing, Sis?"

"Don't call me Sis," the other cat replied.

"Having fun being me?" Silvy asked, an edge in her voice.

"Being you?" Misty blinked at her. "You love to flatter yourself, don't you?"

"You were setting me up, and you know it."

"Wrong," Misty said, and moved over to the bank of machinery. She examined a panel and made an adjustment to a dial. "Sylvia, you always imagine that others are jealous of you. You are wrong. No-one thinks about you, no-one cares about you. Once you understand that, you will also understand that I never think about you at all...so why would I bother setting you up?"

Silvy went quiet, thinking. A flash of her dream came to her. "Ah," she breathed, and looked at Judy. "She wasn't pretending to be me. She sprayed herself dark grey because that was our mother's colour."

She looked at her sister, who pretended she hadn't heard.

"Dr Claws, why have you brought us here?" Judy asked sternly. Misty stopped fiddling with the dials and turned to her.

"You know who I am, I can't risk you letting that out. At least, not yet," the cat replied before looking at Silvy. "I was planning on getting that fox...but he got away."

"But what do you want from us?" Silvy asked. Misty directed her answer at Judy.

"For a start, I want to know the whereabouts of Quiet John," she said.

Judy looked back at her blankly.

"Quiet John? What do you want with him?" Silvy asked. Her sister gave her an irritated look.

"I have all the other bosses, those in the top layer anyway. He's the only one I don't have," Misty replied. "I can't find him and the fox was seen with him. Apparently the fox is working for him and knows where he is; therefore, you do, too. So, where is he?"

"I've never heard of him." Judy said with honesty. "What do you mean you have all the other bosses?"

An uneasy realisation curdled in Silvy's brain.

"The restaurant" she breathed. "Captain George at the restaurant and all the others, that was you! You've been spreading a disease!"

"Oh please, spreading a disease! The virus isn't contagious."

"The medical establishment begs to differ," Judy said. "There's public health warnings all over town. You've made these people sick, and it's spreading. Why?"

"It is NOT spreading," Misty insisted. "There was a purpose to my selection of each and every target. The criminals at the top and those involved in the structures that support them. Their businesses are in chaos, they are powerless to act. And that, Officer Hopps, is part of a greater plan."

"What plan?" Judy asked.

Misty smiled indulgently. "Officer Hopps, I have the greatest respect for the Zootopia Police. I really do. Imagine, though, that you lived in a town that has no justice other than what can be bought. It is corrupt and vile and if you have no money or influence, you die. How would you live in a place like that?"

"I wouldn't," Judy said. "I'd live somewhere else."

"Well, aren't you lucky to have the choice," Misty said tartly. "Those at the top must be removed, and I am the one to do it. These criminals have had their last meal at someone else's expense. My wolves are numerous and determined. The armour I designed has turned them into an unstoppable force. They are, in fact, a small army. I'm rather proud of them."

"An army?" Judy repeated. "You've raised an army to liberate Catilatown? That's what all the car thefts in Zootopia were about - getting power cores to power the suits? And the bosses have been getting sick because you've targeted them with a virus. You're removing the bosses so that your army can take over uncontested!"

"Yes," Misty said simply. "It starts tomorrow. By tomorrow evening, every boss will be disabled, that dreadful Mayor will be removed from power and Catilatown will be in the hands of people who know how to run it properly. I'm sure you can appreciate this necessity, Officer Hopps. I believe in law and order and I am determined to make them a reality here."

"What about those in Zootopia? The same disease has spread to Little Rodentia!" Judy exclaimed. "How can you explain that?"

Misty looked at her sharply. "That's not possible. The virus has been engineered so that it cannot spread. The public warning signs are false."

"Well, its under quarantine, no thanks to you," Judy told her. "People there are getting sick with exactly the same symptoms."

Misty' eyes went hard. She pulled out a small phone from her pocket and tapped on it a few times. After a minute, her gaze widened and she switched off the phone.

"You're not lying." She paused in thought, and her eyes went to a refrigerated unit in a corner of the room.

"I haven't tested the cure," she said. "In theory, it was simple, but..."

She looked back at her sister. "Well, now you can finally be useful, Sylvia."

"Meaning?" Silvy snapped.

"You can help me test the cure," Misty said, and snapped her fingers. The wolves moved forward.

"Hold her still," Misty told them.

She turned away to the refrigerator unit and took a vial of blue liquid from it. Next, she turned to the bench and from a drawer underneath and drew out surgical gloves. From another drawer she took a syringe in a packet and a cotton swab. She placed all these on the bench and stared at Silvy blankly.

"Disinfectant," she said. "We wouldn't want you to get an infection, would we?"

Silvy hissed at her. It was a primal expression of fear and rage, hideous in its hatred. But Misty seemed unconcerned. She went to a cupboard and pulled out a bottle of disinfectant and set it on the bench before her. Then she got to work.

Judy tried to distract the doctor with questions, but only got cryptic replies. Misty seemed to enjoy both the officer's questions and withholding satisfying answers to them. She also seemed intent on making sure there were no delays. Her movements were efficient and practised and in no time at all the wolves held the struggling Silvy as her sister injected the drug into the flesh on the inside of her arm.

Misty stood back, the syringe still in one paw. She surveyed the panting Silvy carefully.

"You will start to feel nauseous very soon," she said. "It's the first symptom. Then comes the rash. It won't be long."

"I feel fine," Silvy snapped.

"Don't lie. The Purple Virus - so they're calling it, it's not my name for it but there you go - it makes you sick straight away. You feel rather dreadful right now, don't you?"

"No."

"How about now?"

"Nope. You must have given me the wrong virus, you moron."

For the first time, Silvy saw a real expression cross her sister's face. Anger. And a little panic. Misty hurried across to the bench and picked up the vial, holding it up so she could read the label. Silvy saw her shoulders relax.

"It's the right vial. It's definitely the right vial. You should be sick. Why aren't you sick?" She crossed the room and looked deeply into Silvy's eyes. She reached out and pulled back Silvy's eyelid. She told her to stick out her tongue, which of course, Silvy did, blowing a rude raspberry right into Misty's face. Misty backed away, shouting and leaping for the bottle of disinfectant.

"You absolute fool, Sylvia! Who's going to heal those people if I'm sick? Oh, you thoughtless, inconsiderate brat!" She used cotton wool to disinfect herself, disposed of it into a medical waste bin, and sighed. She turned to Silvy and stared at her for a long time.

"The Nighthowler drug," she said slowly. "I shot you with the Nighthowler drug yesterday...and you should still be in hospital. You still have the drug in your body."

Her eyes lit up and she ran over to a table at the back of the room. She opened a laptop and typed frantically for a few minutes.

"That's it," Silvy heard her mutter. "That's got to be it. It works the same way. It has to be right..."

Misty peered at her over the laptop, then she fixed her attention on Judy.

"Well, Officer Hopps!" she said brightly. "It looks like you may assist in finding the cure, too!"

"No! Don't..." shouted Silvy.

"Of course, Officer Hopps could be even more useful if she could tell me where Quiet John is. No? Then I'm afraid she must serve as a test subject. Now," she said, turning to rummage in the refrigerator unit. "Where is my Nighthowler serum..."

 **See you all next chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17 - Saved

**Here's Chapter 17!**

Nick sat on a low wall and waited, his sunglasses trained on the entrance to the CPD. Usually he enjoyed basking in the sun, but worry took away whatever pleasure he might have found in the moment. Tension chewed at his stomach as he tried not to consider what Ms Grey might be doing to Judy at this very moment.

The doors burst open as Bogo stomped down the short flight of stairs, snorting angrily.

"Chief?" Nick queried, jumping up. "Anything?"

"These officers are useless! One hid under the table and wouldn't come out and the others haven't got a clue," Bogo thundered. "So much for a co-operative effort! What a bunch of Nancies! They haven't been helping at all, have they?"

He paused in thought for a moment, rubbing his forehead.

"Sir, we need backup," Nick said, and the Chief looked at him wildly.

"Oh, do we really, Wilde? Why didn't I think of that, and come here for that very purpose?" the Chief said. "Our officers won't get here until tonight, and who knows what will happen to Hopps and Claws before then?"

"Ms Grey is crazy, Chief. A real looney. Like, Bellweather looney."

"Thanks for that assessment, Wilde," Bogo said, though he looked even more stressed. "We need constructive thought here."

"Why don't we call Mr Big?"

"The crime boss in Tundratown?" The Chief blinked at him. "What for?"

"Sir, Mr Big is stocked up on polar bears. He can get them here fast. Judy's got his number on her phone."

"Have you gone looney too?" the Chief groaned. "I never thought I'd hear you make such a moronic suggestion! Mr Big! As if our problems weren't "big" enough! And please tell me why the heck Hopps would have a major crime boss's phone number in her contacts list?"

"Listen, Sir. Mr Big is very, very fond of Judy. He says he owes her a debt for saving his daughter's life and she is godmother to his grandchild because of that incident. He will get his people here fast, and it won't put the ZPD under any obligation, Sir. Okay, look," Nick added quickly, as Bogo's stare seemed to freeze solid. "We could do this without your apparent involvement. We'll say you didn't know about it, that you didn't authorise it. Sir?"

"You got the last part right. Authorisation indeed," the Chief muttered, and turned away to stare at the CPD building. Silence filled the air for about half a minute. Nick waited awkwardly.

Bogo shook his head. "There's no other options. I can't believe I'm letting you do this," he muttered. "Big had better not start a war."

He slipped his hoof in his pocket and pulled out Judy's phone. He hesitated, staring down at the phone and then at Nick. His gaze was a dark and dire promise of retribution if this plan failed. He sighed, shook his head again and handed the phone to Nick.

"Thanks Chief," Nick said as he switched on Judy's iCarrot. He knew the password from peeking over her shoulder. Yeah, he was nosey, so what? The Chief grumbled unhappily as he waited.

He dialled Mr Big's number and put the phone to his ear.

After a few rings, a gruff voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Hi, my name is Nick-"

"Do you have an appointment?"

"No, but one of Mr Big's-"

"Then an appointment and then call back."

"Listen to me! Judy Hopps has been kidnapped by a person of interest to Mr Big. I need to talk to him!"

He was met with silence. He thought the polar bear, if that is what he was, had hung up on him, but was surprised when he heard the next sentence.

"I'll put him on now."

Nick breathed in relief and gave the Chief a thumbs up as he held the phone to his ear. After a moment of silence, Mr Big's voice spoke up.

"Officer Wilde. What's happened to Judy?"

Nick was grateful that Mr Big preferred to get straight to the point for once. He talked, and he talked fast. Mr Big asked a few questions. Then it was Nick's turn to listen. By the time he hung up, he was smiling in genuine relief.

"Sir," he said to Bogo. "They're coming."

One hour later, Nick stood waiting on top of the Catilatown Library and watched a Hercules helicopter fly towards him. A helipad lay marked out before him. The helicopter hovered and slowly lowered itself to the helipad, accompanied by swirling blasts of dust and small bits of rubbish.

The helicopter landed and polar bears began climbing out of it. There were ten of them and they were all armed to the teeth, bristling with semi-automatics, blades, ammunition belts, rifles and grenades. Nick had often reflected that polar bears, like lions, needed no weapons at all, seeing as one smack with their paw would end any argument - permanently. They walked towards Nick and nodded.

"Let's go," their leader said.

Judy winced as the needle pushed into her arm. She had disliked needles and injections ever since she was a child. She had screamed and kicked for about a hour beforehand when her parents took her to be immunised.

Kicking and screaming had done her no good back then, and would gain her absolutely nothing now.

She was snapped out of her thoughts when she felt a slightly nauseous stirring in her stomach, which became a nasty and urgent feeling that she was going to lose her lunch. She groaned and an instant sweat prickled under the fur on her forehead. The virus was taking effect.

Misty's satisfied smile told her that she knew it. She picked up another needle with a familiar purple substance in it and held it up to the light.

Judy's muzzle felt like it was burning. She squeezed her eyes shut from the pain, but opened them when she felt another small but sharp pain in her arm. She watched the needle disappear under her fur and prayed it would work. Feeling like this was just awful.

She closed her eyes again, trying to ward off the sudden dizziness. After a few moments it receded. Judy breathed out and realised she felt better. The pain in her muzzle evaporated and after two more minutes, she realised she didn't feel sick anymore. Unless this was what it was like to go savage, it had worked.

Judy glanced at Silvy, who wore a look of hope.

"That was quicker then I thought it would be," Misty muttered to herself as she took the two needles and moved away towards a sink. "An excellent discovery. I'll write it up tonight. It's been too long since I was published."

Silvy gave her sister a nasty look and mimicked her words silently, which Misty didn't see.

"Now," Misty said, turning back to Silvy. "I am going to make you an offer, Sylvia. I think it would suit you and that you would like it very much, so I want you to think carefully about it."

Silvy looked at her sister with surprise. "An offer? Since when did you ever offer me anything but total rejection?"

Misty sighed. "Children are not adults, Sylvia. We are adults now and you need to grow up. You need to learn to listen and evaluate. There is a lot of good you could do for this town. You were a police officer once. I know why. You want to wipe out corruption just as much as I do. But I could see that your way wouldn't work. You were simply one person against the whole stinking machinery. You were bound to lose, and you did. But now, great changes are occurring in this town. The corrupt cats at the top are done. They lie in my quarantine hospital, too sick to run their empires and they will remain that way while the restructuring of our society takes place. The new structure will need strong, incorruptible people to support and administrate it. You would be ideal. For all your faults, you are strong-minded and you were never corrupt...just misguided."

Silvy blinked rapidly, trying to take this in. "Er...are you offering me a job?"

Misty strode across the room to stand before Silvy's chair. "Yes! Though more than just a "job", Sylvia. Consider what I have just told you, and widen your vision! You will be in a key position in the new structure. You will be able to make a tremendous difference in the lives of many people! Those who suffer now will find themselves with every opportunity to make better lives for themselves. There are no longer any parasites in the way of their happiness! You would be my Chief of Police and ensure that this is so! Together, we will wipe out corruption and make this town what it should have been all along. So think, Sylvia. Think. I want this, and so do you."

Silvy looked dumbfounded. She stared at her sister for the longest moment.

"This sounds a lot like the time when you told me that the entire orphanage would be so grateful to me if I helped you to clean the "corruption" from the windows," she said. "I found out later that our house-mother had told you to do it as a punishment for being rude to the nurse."

Misty rolled her eyes in a way that told Judy she was losing patience. "That's children's behaviour. We are adults now! You would, of course, have every resource available to you. Our Police Department will be the best funded in history! Every person, every piece of equipment you need, all you have to do is ask!"

"So, not just a bucket of water and a cloth, then."

Misty gritted her teeth. "We already have the best "PD", as it is known, in the world. Every wolf in my employ. There are close to sixty, now, all well-armed and armoured. And you could be running that entire operation."

"Armoured?" Silvy said. "Do you mean to say that they all have one of those powered suits?"

"Yes, of course," Misty said. "I had to even the odds. You will have one, too! You're already strong, though not as fast as you were since you hurt your leg. But that won't matter once you have your own suit - you will be even stronger, faster! It will make an incredible difference to what you can do."

A look of wistfulness crossed Silvy's face. "I wonder what kind of cop I could be if I had one of those suits. I'd like to try one, that's for sure."

Misty's golden eyes lit up in triumph. "Then you shall! Malcolm, give her your suit."

The wolf singled out as Malcolm looked startled as he became the focus of attention. "Uh..."

"Now!"

"Um...er, there's ladies present."

"Oh, for God's sake, go behind the desk," Misty snapped. "Quickly!"

The two prisoners looked at the two wolves in front of them, who glanced nervously back. Judy could hardly believe that Silvy had tricked her sister into giving her a suit.

Malcolm reluctantly went behind the desk.

A howl went up from outside. Silvy and Judy exchanged a confused glance. The noise went on, swelling and powerful. It was a hunting-howl. The two wolves in the room struggled briefly, then gave in and threw back their heads to add their own songs to the dreadful din.

"Be quiet!" ordered Misty.

It had no real effect. Both wolves eyed her pleadingly from the corners of their eyes as they howled. They really couldn't help it, Judy saw. Misty held up a syringe threateningly. Malcolm backed away and the other began to cower, but they both continued howling, caught in the grip of their compulsion.

Misty saw that the threat of the syringe hadn't any power over their instincts. She put it aside and leapt, her arm outstretched, to rake her claws across the nose of the nearest wolf. His noise cut off with a yelp. The other wolf, Malcolm, quickly took his howl down to a series of strangled grunts, then silence. They both stared at the doctor in terror.

THUD!

The metal door shook in its frame. It startled all five of them. They all swivelled their heads to stare at it. It sounded as though someone had hit the door with a car, or a small mountain.

Then another sound made Judy's ears twitch. Gunfire. She and Silvy looked wildly at one another. Silvy gave a quick shake of her head in bewilderment.

Misty pointed at both the guards, who pulled themselves together and raised their own guns. They stepped smartly forwards. One stood several feet in front of the door, while Malcolm took a position to the side.

THUD!

There was an explosion from outside, and more gunfire. The wolves had stopped howling.

THUD!

THUD!

THUD!

The door's hinges flew off the wall and the door fell flat on the floor. A large polar bear, larger than the doorway, fell with it, squashing the wolf positioned there. A second bear collapsed on top of the first.

Malcolm, the remaining wolf, raised his gun as a third polar bear abruptly appeared in the blocked doorway. The wolf never fired his weapon. Afterwards, when Judy replayed the incident in her mind, she couldn't blame him.

The polar bear moved fast, and yet it seemed so slow. He placed a foot on the bodies of his colleagues, launched himself into the air and hurtled straight at the wolf.

One moment the wolf was there, gaping, and the next moment he was completely engulfed in shadow, and then he was gone, hidden under a chuckling pile of white fur.

"You know what? I actually saw that in slow motion," Silvy said, sounding awed. "I wish I could see it again."

The polar bear raised his head and looked at the prisoners. He shook his head and grinned at them.

"I love this job," he told them.

The lab, which had looked almost cavernous five minutes ago, was feeling crowded and close as it filled up with bears. Both the wolves were in custody, disoriented from being squashed, and looking extremely nervous. The last one to enter the room was a familiar red fox.

"Nick! Over here!" Judy yelled, squirming against her restraints.

"Welcome to the party!" Silvy told him as he ran over and started undoing Judy's restraints.

"Are you two okay?" Nick asked as Judy stood up and began rubbing her arms. He started on Silvy's ropes.

"Misty tested the drug on us, but it turns out the cure is the Night Howler serum," Judy said. She saw Silvy looking around wildly, trying to peer around the polar bears.

"Did you get her?" Silvy asked, urgently. "Nick, did you get her?"

"Yup," he said, and at that moment a polar bear turned around. He was holding Misty against his chest with one arm around her waist. There was a wide stripe of duct tape around her mouth. Her golden eyes bulged with outrage.

"I don't want her to talk. She's rude," the bear explained.

"We got most of the wolves outside, too. The place was hopping with them," Nick said as he worked. "I can tell you this, Judy. The ZPD wouldn't have been able to handle them. They were all suited up."

"So who...? Oh my God, you didn't..."

"Yep. Mr Big. These are his boys."

"And we are very good boys indeed! Come on, we just found some more wolves!" roared a polar bear, who was standing guard in the doorway. The room rapidly cleared, except for Misty's custodian, who clutched her like a doll.

Once Nick finished with Silvy's restraints, Judy pulled Nick into a hug.

"How did you find us?" she asked.

Nick laughed a little. "The wolf I caught. He was all attitude at first, even with his broken leg, but once Bogo and the Matron got their hooves on him, his entire day was ruined. They stood over his pathetic broken body and took their turns at bellowing and threatening. The poor thing was a teary mass of nerves when they were done. He's currently under the Matron's personal care." Nick paused, smiling, to reflect on the memory. "You know what?" he added. "I think there's something going on there. The Chief and the Matron definitely had a...moment. I think the Chief just got himself a very loud girlfriend."

Silvy laughed.

"So," she said. "Let's get my sister to Zootopia."

 **See you all next chapter! Please leave a review!**


	18. Chapter 18 - Crime and Punishment

A month later, Judy, Nick and Silvy gave evidence at Misty's trial.

The judge was the biggest giraffe Judy had ever seen. He had a stern reputation, which was borne out when Misty took the stand in her own defence and began to lecture the entire courtroom on the evils of corruption and how they could not possibly understand her vision, being fortunate enough to live in a city where things operated as they should. They were ignorant of true evil, she told them.

Judge Walker, after numerous attempts to shut her up via stern warnings to her lawyer, had had enough. He stretched his long, long neck down and around to the witness stand until his massive nostrils were level with Misty's eyes. She stopped talking with a sudden hiccup.

"Madam," he said softly. "I deal with evil every day, within this very courtroom. I am dealing with it at this very moment. I warn you, if you are pretending to be mad, it will not work. Your psychological assessment indicates that you are highly narcissistic, but you do know right from wrong. Therefore you know, very well, that stealing is wrong. You know that assault is wrong. And yet you chose to commit these crimes and induce others to commit these crimes, in the pursuit of your very selfish vision. Did you not stop to consider that social change such as that you were trying to bring about can occur in a more natural, peaceful way? The people do have a voice, Doctor Claws. Did you think to consult them before you decided for them how their lives should be?"

Misty soon found her voice again. "They're sheep! They're nothing but sheep! When DO they ever think for themselves? They just follow each other into obscurity, into slavery, and never DO anything about it! They suffer, and yet when shown how to be strong, they cower in preference to the way things are! All they need is a strong leader who won't shrink from doing what-"

"Enough, Madam. Will the jury please make their deliberations?"

It took an hour. The jury, a mixture of big cats, rodents, a hippo and an elephant, came back with their verdict, upon which Misty exploded with rage.

"You've all been paid off -"

She was slapped with contempt of court charges. She retorted that she no longer recognised the court as an authority, as it was clearly full of corruption, and she would only recognise a court that offered a fair trial. Judy sighed in exasperation. She looked around the courtroom to see how Silvy was taking it, and saw that Silvy was sitting next to Mr Big and Fru Fru. All of them were smiling, although Silvy's smile was somewhat sad. Mr Big's smile was...anticipatory.

Then came the verdict.

"Doctor Claws, you have shown a lack of humility in this courtroom, along with a considerable lack of compassion towards those you have wronged. Your skills as a doctor have been abused - I know your local medical board has struck you off their rolls - and so, all you have is your intellect and the strength of your paws. And yet, you have abused those attributes, too. What a waste of your life! However, you will have the opportunity to contribute to society in a meaningful way. I sentence you to a minimum of fifteen years in a high-security facility, especially tailored to handling cases like yours. The possibility of early release will depend upon your good behaviour, however, early release will mean a transition to supervised community service. The Goldenvale Retirement Home for Difficult Senior Citizens always has need of assistance. The seriousness of your crimes moves me to order the precautionary measure of having you fitted with an ankle restraint upon your conditional release from prison. You will not be able to move more than ten feet from Goldenvale's doors. You will find such service...challenging, I understand. But you will learn humility there, if not compassion."

In the third row, a large brown bear in a uniform blouse and skirt stared at Misty coldly and ground her fist into her opposite paw with a meaty smack. Judy recognised her as the nurse from Goldenvale, who had protected her charges from Misty's initial charge through their home.

"That nurse is an ex-con," Nick whispered to Judy. "She was given the same option. Worked out well, apparently."

A voice from the back of the room quavered loudly, "We're getting her as the new help? Hot Diggety, she's a doll! Ya-ta-ta!"

Judy wriggled around in her seat and waved to the elderly Thelonius Wolf, who peered at her through his glasses for a moment before he brightened with recognition and waved back. He was sitting next to a dignified-looking lion whom Judy had seen before; this was the lion that Nick had met on the train. She nudged Nick and pointed. He twisted around and found Quiet John staring at him, eyebrow raised as he coolly nodded down at Nick's uniform. Nick shrugged at him, then mimed having a drink. Quiet John grinned and nodded.

"That is the verdict and the sentence of this courtroom. Believe me when I tell you, young lady, that you have been given a second chance in service to others...and it depends on your intelligence as to what you make of it."

At last, Misty seemed to understand that events were outside of her control. She went very quiet, and did not resist as she was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs. Silvy watched her go, her face uncharacteristically solemn.

"I think she's relieved," Judy said to Nick, who was standing at her shoulder. "I wouldn't want to be her right now, though."

"I think Silvy gave up on her a long time ago," he replied. "And I'll bet that was the hardest thing to do. Family is important, but Misty had no real concept of that."

"Hi, guys!" Silvy said, from behind them. Judy managed not to jump.

"How are you doing?" she asked kindly.

"Oh, great, thank goodness it's over! And she's getting what she deserves. Recommendations were provided to the judge through various channels. Mr Big made sure of that."

"Oh?" Nick asked, and lowered his voice. "You know, Silvy, Mr Big can be very charming when he wants to be, but when he has a disagreement with someone over his daughter, I'd imagine he'd be a bit terminal about it. What happened between you and Mr Big?"

"Well, he summoned me," Silvy said breezily. "And I knew what it was about. He asked me all sorts of questions about Misty, and I said I would provide him with a copy of her psychological profile, on the condition that she wouldn't be harmed. He told me that there was harm, and then there was punishment that fit the offence, and I took his meaning. I gave him the profile, we came to an agreement and he did the rest."

"Oh," said Nick. He exchanged a relieved look with Judy. They had been worried that Mr Big would get his dangerous little paws on Misty and make them regret finding her.

"She'll hate jail," Silvy went on. "It doesn't fit in with her concept of herself. She thinks she's too important to stay there and that the only reason she got put there is because everyone else is either too corrupt or too stupid to see that she should be running things. She'll take the Goldenvale option as soon as she can. She'll try to escape and she'll get caught. The judge will increase her sentence and she'll go back to jail, then off to Goldenvale again. She'll think of a new escape plan and try again...and then again...always thinking that _this_ time she'll succeed. She won't. She'll never win, not when Mr Big is watching. All she'll do is increase her sentencing period, probably for the term of her natural life, because her ego just won't sit down and shut up. She'll never see that she's the one who's stupid."

Outside the courtroom, Silvy disappeared and Judy was swamped by reporters. She made her statements to the public. After a minute of this, Nick picked up on her surreptitious signal and ushered her through the mob. On the very edge of it, chewing on a celery stick and his cheeks bulging with an enormous grin, was someone very small and familiar.

"Hello, Maximilian," Judy said.

"We have a date," said the gerbil. "I've been looking forward to this!"

"So we do!" Judy said. "How about now?"

"Yep, while it's hot," said Maximilian.

Judy turned to Nick and saw that his mouth hung open.

"Officer Wilde, meet Maximilian Round, editor of the Catilatown newspaper, Lettuce Talk. I told you how Maximilian was extremely helpful with the Mayor of Catilatown when we were having some procedural issues. Maximilian, Officer Wilde was my partner on this case."

Nick and the gerbil shook paws.

"Great. Yeah, then I wanna talk to both of you," said the gerbil.

"Both of us?" Nick said uncertainly. "Uh...yeah, sure."

He seemed to relax.

"Is the Mayor that scared of your poison pen?" Nick asked, watching Judy from the corner of his eye.

Maximilian laughed. "Nah, not any more!" He began laughing. Nick looked at Judy, but she looked as nonplussed as he. "Oh, you don't know? There's a lot to tell you, then! Oh, let's see. How about some headlines? "BOOTE IS BOOTED!", "MOBS RULE AS BOSSES FLEE", "MOB BOSS EXODUS", "CLAWS HAILED MAYOR", those would be the ones that would interest you the most, I think."

"Henry Boote is no longer Mayor?" Judy said, feeling a delight welling up in her at the thought. "So who is...you said Claws? But Silvy Claws didn't run for Mayor. She's been here all along."

"Paddy Claws," said Maximilian. "Her brother. Did you know that Chief Bogo went to visit Henry Boote when he was still Mayor, right after Misty Claws's arrest? No? Well, he did, and I was there, you know, hanging around as I always do. Actually Mrs Loy likes me and hates Boote so she let me listen at the door. And Bogo was rumbling away with that voice of his, and Henry was upset and shouting. Then there was a sort of scuffle of the "Why are you hitting yourself?" variety. Hmm. Wish I'd seen it. Okay, then I hear Bogo say, "You're finished and you know it. Don't come to my city when you're chased out of here, because Zootopia would be no kind of haven for you. I'll make sure of it.". Bogo comes out and chats to Mrs Loy for a while. I sneak in and see Henry, sitting in his chair with a swollen eye and his shirt untucked. It was heartless of me, I know, but I took a photo. It went with the "CORRUPT MAYOR FACES ENQUIRY" headline I printed the next morning. He was gone later that day. People were worried, there was a riot at the Council Offices, and Paddy Claws stood on a chair and called for calm. He talked to the crowd for a while and next thing you know, they proclaimed him Mayor."

"Oh, my gosh!" Judy said. "Silvy didn't tell us that!"

"It only happened a few days ago," Maximilian shrugged. "It wasn't so easy for the bosses, though. They were cured and released from the quarantine hospital about two weeks ago, but people had got this new idea in their heads that the bosses weren't needed. Something I've been telling them for twenty years, mind you. It seems they've been watching Zootopia television a lot, lately, following the case. It turns out people have really had enough, and yet another boss to be afraid of was just too much. So, some businesses were destroyed, in some cases buildings were burnt to the ground...I've never been busier."

"Sir, are you saying that you committed arson in Catilatown?" Nick asked sternly.

The gerbil looked offended. "No! Of course not. What do you take me for? I meant I'm busy with my paper. Sales are through the roof. I've had to take on more staff, and we need a proper headquarters now. We are not just a backyard rag now, no Sir, we are not! We are fast becoming Catilatown's leading newspaper, all because we tell the truth instead of what the masses want to hear! Well, there's always a bit of that, too, but we don't lie, especially about important stuff. Anyway - let's go to Switzel for lunch. My treat. Least I can do for you, Officers."

"What about Quiet John?" Nick asked. "I know he's okay, but..."

"Oh, his beggars are alright," the gerbil said. "Quiet John was never really a problem. For some, he was the only form of social security they had. He grew up poor, he understands them, and they'll stand up for him if it comes to that. Though, his protection may not be as needed, soon. I hear that the first thing on Mrs Loy's agenda is pensions for the elderly. She wants to retire."

"Let me guess: she gave you an exclusive interview on the subject to ensure it would happen," Judy grinned.

"Yep. And so Paddy, wise cat that he is, made her Assistant Mayor and told her to put her proposal on his desk by month's end. Wow. We're finally moving! Now, let's eat. I'm starving."

 **See you all next chapter!**


End file.
